RCN Digital Leadership Series: Sgt (ret’d) Jean-Michel Gagnon, CD

Cdr Fraser Gransden,
Director Naval Strategic Management

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In this series, we showcase digital leadership across the RCN to illustrate how our enterprise solutions are successfully leveraged for the benefit of our teams.

In an appealing career transition, Sergeant (Retired) Jean-Michel ‘JM’ Gagnon, a distinguished veteran with 15 years of service in the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF), has emerged as a determined figure in the Royal Canadian Navy’s (RCN) quest for digital transformation.

JM, whose military career spanned roles as a Combat Engineer and Resource Management Support clerk, retired in 2019 only to be transferred over to a public servant role in the RCN. Recognizing JM’s exceptional administrative prowess, particularly in the Government of Canada and National Defence administration, his Chain of Command encouraged him to broaden his digital skill set. JM enthusiastically embraced the challenge, delving into the readily available training in data and digital pathways offered by WithYouWithMe (WYWM).

This opportunity gave JM the necessary skills to transition and capitalize on a critical position within the Navy’s Digital team. JM secured a position in the Digital Solutions section of the Director Naval Strategic Management as a Product Manager, where he oversees the Digital Navy Technology Portal, a place for sailors from coast to coast to submit Digital Service Requests (DSRs) for various digital initiatives. 

JM’s journey underscores the importance of adaptability and continuous learning in the digital era. As he navigates the evolution of digital work, JM emphasizes the need for tools that facilitate more efficient digital and data practice in day-to-day routines. 

In a world that is becoming increasingly dependent on digital, he encourages all members to embrace change, learn new skills, and remodel their thinking as it relates to applications of digital work. JM knows there are numerous ways to become more digitally aware and offers a few options that helped in his journey:

“The talent you possess is already noteworthy. The real potential of digital power emerges when we harness this talent through understanding technology and the fusion of good data with human creativity,” said Sgt (ret’d) Jean-Michel Gagnon.

 

Links:

WithYouWithMe (WYWM): https://potential-ca.withyouwithme.com/public-courses

Digital Navy Technology Portal (DNTP): https://rcn-mrc.forces.mil.ca/QC/ReservationRequests/Create

Microsoft Certifications: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/credentials/

Canadian School of Public Service (CSPS): https://www.csps-efpc.gc.ca/index-eng.aspx