Good or bad - Administrative Assistant bei APEGA: Mitarbeiterbewertung

Benefits Great team mates Hybrid work model

There have been a lot of changes to APEGA with the in-coming CEO. APEGA has high turnover, they have fired quite a few people unexpectedly, and they closed the Calgary office and wouldn't let them keep their jobs unless they moved to Edmonton. Mandatory in-office days have been reintroduced and we expect a return to 5 days a week once the initial shock has worn off. Morale is at an all time low and I think it will get worse before it gets better.

Biggest pro was work/life balance. Regulatory work is, by nature, quite slow and it was reflected in the day-to-day work at APEGA - it was generally low stress and the office was largely empty come 4:30 p.m. They encouraged hybrid work and the office was really nice and well designed. Coworkers were largely pleasant and there was a real emphasis on corporate culture and inclusivity (lots of social opportunities, funding for team building activities off-site, etc.). The office is closed over Christmas and everyone gets that time as paid leave, in addition to your paid leave allocation. They will match up to 6% of your salary in a pension.

Salaries are all individually negotiated although I know quite a few people felt they were somewhat underpaid. I was asked to provide a range and they offered me right in the middle, with no negotiation or discussion. Your pay won't go up much after you start so give them a high number. Lots of turnover, in all departments. Most of the senior management has been there forever so they are quite stuck in their ways and the engineering culture can be laid on a bit thick - lots of senior management discussions and projects about "the profession" and advocating for engineering and geoscience rather than focusing on the actual job of the organisation, which is to regulate the profession and protect the public. No internal career progression - you'll have to leave it you want a raise or a promotion. Office location in southwest Edmonton is not nearly as accessible as the previous downtown location.