Profile – John Blasko, Manager, Contract Services

Tight deadlines and the stringent operational demands of the Canadian Forces make working in Contract Services at DCC very challenging. But for John Blasko, Manager, Contract Services, the environment has proven to be a good fit for his high-performance work ethic.

"I love it! It’s fascinating, and every day is different," says John. "There are no precedents in contracting, and every project is uniquely challenging. No two contracts are the same." This desire to try new things has driven him throughout his career.

John first joined DCC in the early 1980s as a student Project Inspector at the Kingston Site Office. Then in 1986, with university behind him, he took on a full-time position as a Project Inspector at the Ottawa Site Office. He remained in that position until 1989, when he decided to explore other aspects of the business by taking on a job with DND. He later moved into the private sector and eventually started his own contracting consulting business.

In 2002, a member of the Senior Management Team approached him and offered him the position of Manager, Site Operations, at the Ottawa Site Office. Eager to return to his DCC roots, he accepted the offer. Four years later, he accepted yet another challenge by taking on the role of National Health and Safety Coordinator.

Curiosity and desire to learn more about DCC contracting processes motivated him to take on his current role. "It was one part of the organization that I had some exposure to, but that I didn’t know the inner workings of. Contracting is the hub of the Corporation. It is what DCC is about."

The move proved to be a good fit for him. "I came here by choice and I have no regrets," says John. "The team is amazing and it never gets boring. I highly recommend this line of work to anybody who enjoys breaking down and analyzing complex ideas, who wants to be involved in interesting projects and who likes the thrill of deadlines."

Serving DND throughout Canada and overseas, DCC Contract Services issues more than 1,500 contracts a year for professional services, construction, goods and other infrastructure-related work. With in-depth knowledge of the construction business, DCC Contracting experts can meet both the tough operational demands of the Canadian Forces and the high standards of the federal procurement policy.