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Xerophobic
Joined: 23 Jun 2005 Posts: 970 Location: Calgary Alberta, Canada
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Posted: Thu Aug 04, 2005 3:11 pm Post subject: Xerophobic presses west.... |
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I've been thinking I'd do this "eventually" but have conlcuded the time is now to start seriously planning this.
I'm asking for any advice or tips to take care of the most important part of relocating, work! I could be out by fall but would feel alot better if I had some form of work lined up beforehand.
My background is mainly in CAD/CNC in the woodworking feild but I could swing to metal easily. I am also hands-on in both wood and metal fabrication although not formerly trained in either. Im currenly working as a metal fabicator in a shop doing custom exhibit and display work. Comfortable with shearing, punching, forming etc and some welding(steel and alum), altho I do need more practice with that. I'm very comfortable working around machinery and do a fair amount of my own auto/engine work and wouldn't shy away from a job involving that. I have also been a purchaser for a fair sized millwork shop. I'll update my resume and post it somewhere this week.
Basically I can do alot of things but have very few papers that "say" I can. I did a few years in university engineering so my maths and sciences are strong as well as my communications, ability to read drawings etc I do prefer work to be a little more "hands-on".
If anyone has any leads, contacts, suggestions or heck even a job(haha) please post here or email me the details.
I'm now thinking I will initially setup in Banff as I know a friend there but will locate wherever there is work, preferably in the Calgary/Red Deer/Edmonton corridor
Thanks everyone
James
P.s. I know a few of you through email that may be gettin one shortly asking for new tips etc
(whoops! email addy is jetboatin@yahoo.com) _________________ T-53 , why go up and down when you wanna go round and round???? |
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allblowdup
Joined: 20 Jun 2005 Posts: 135 Location: Grande Prairie
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Posted: Thu Aug 04, 2005 3:38 pm Post subject: |
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How far north are you thinking of going. I am from Grande Praire and if you are warm and can breathe then you should be able to find a good job in about 1 minute (not kidding). It is unbelivable how much work there is. I own a welding fabricating shop here and haven't been able put a guy on all the machines for 5 years. Plus we got lots of great rivers around here and both the canadian races are held within 3 hrs of here. |
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allblowdup
Joined: 20 Jun 2005 Posts: 135 Location: Grande Prairie
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Posted: Thu Aug 04, 2005 3:40 pm Post subject: |
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by the way missbhaven I found him first so you will have to keep looking. HE HE HE! |
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MISSBHAVEN
Joined: 20 Jun 2005 Posts: 310 Location: Grande Prairie, Alberta
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Posted: Thu Aug 04, 2005 3:42 pm Post subject: |
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X, I think most of Alberta is going through a serious skilled labor shortage, including Grande Prairie. We are north of Edmonton and if you come up here in the fall, you will have a job fabricating metal or working for an oilfield service company, within 24 hours, Guaranteed!! However, if you are going to be seriously into boating, you may want to start looking around Red Deer, where Outlaw's at. I'm sure their are lots of jobs there aswell. Good Luck |
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MISSBHAVEN
Joined: 20 Jun 2005 Posts: 310 Location: Grande Prairie, Alberta
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Posted: Thu Aug 04, 2005 3:46 pm Post subject: |
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That's right, what was I thinking (worried about getting the race boat ready for Whitecourt I guess)? I'll be looking to hire a couple of good people in the fall. So come up to Grande Prairie!! |
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allblowdup
Joined: 20 Jun 2005 Posts: 135 Location: Grande Prairie
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Posted: Thu Aug 04, 2005 4:02 pm Post subject: |
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hey what are you doing playing on the net? Shouldn't you be getting us some parts right now or some more secret speed ingredient. |
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Xerophobic
Joined: 23 Jun 2005 Posts: 970 Location: Calgary Alberta, Canada
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Posted: Thu Aug 04, 2005 4:07 pm Post subject: |
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Thanks guys I will be getting familiar with the maps over the next while and will definatly contact you both over the next few weeks. I want to throw together a resume first, its a little out of date lol
You make it sound like work may not be the hard part afterall.
Cheers _________________ T-53 , why go up and down when you wanna go round and round???? |
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TOP DAWG
Joined: 15 Jun 2005 Posts: 574 Location: Peace River Alberta anada
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G-force
Joined: 05 Jul 2005 Posts: 105 Location: no-po, OREGON
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Posted: Sun Aug 07, 2005 12:11 am Post subject: |
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does that mean they PAY for skilled workers or is the pay the reason there arent any? |
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Xerophobic
Joined: 23 Jun 2005 Posts: 970 Location: Calgary Alberta, Canada
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Posted: Sun Aug 07, 2005 8:45 am Post subject: |
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thats a good point G, I was meaning to ask about that too cause I have heard since the province is really booming finding accomadation can be tricky and/or pricy. any locals care to comment on that?
What are wages and cost of living like? I can't imagine it being any worse than in the greater Toronto area! car insurance alone will kill ya here
Cheers _________________ T-53 , why go up and down when you wanna go round and round???? |
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MidwetJetSprint
Joined: 29 Jul 2005 Posts: 160 Location: Chicago Metro
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Posted: Sun Aug 07, 2005 10:01 am Post subject: |
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My brother the skilled one of the lot moved from Chicago to the Denver area with nothing lined up.His back ground skilled welder,CNC medical/food grade stainless fab,building electrition,and misc other skills and also makes custom speaker and systems stainless stands with his own buisness he is making as much as he was here $25 plus and hour range.Depends on how you market yourself out there Cheers _________________ Old Age and Treachery always Overcome Youth and Skill! |
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TOP DAWG
Joined: 15 Jun 2005 Posts: 574 Location: Peace River Alberta anada
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Posted: Sun Aug 07, 2005 7:59 pm Post subject: |
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There are some trucking companies paying $30.00 /hr for drivers, to keep there trucks on the road. A skilled machine shop operator should get $ 25.00 to $ 35.00 an hour no problem. You could always go truck driving or heavy equipment operating for $ 30.00 to $ 40.00 an hour if your good. _________________ Bulls Eye Enterprises Inc.
Shop:780-833-1462
Cell : 780-618-7537
www.bullseyeenterprises.ca
follow us on instagram @bulleyeenterprises
Like us on Facebook
https://www.facebook.com/bullseyeenterprisespeaceriver?ref=hl |
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sandman
Joined: 15 Jun 2005 Posts: 260 Location: The captains table
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Posted: Mon Aug 08, 2005 1:58 pm Post subject: |
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X
If you can get to Grande Prairie, I'll line you up with whatever type of work you want/need. There is plenty of places looking for people. All you have to do is be able to set an alarm clock and you have as much work as you want. Goob boatin' here too! _________________ It was like that when I got there! |
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steelheadfreak
Joined: 28 Jun 2005 Posts: 31
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Posted: Mon Aug 08, 2005 3:06 pm Post subject: |
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sandman wrote: | X
If you can get to Grande Prairie, I'll line you up with whatever type of work you want/need. There is plenty of places looking for people. All you have to do is be able to set an alarm clock and you have as much work as you want. Goob boatin' here too! |
WOW! Can you line me up with the same setup? All I want is 2 million a year with benefits. A 2 day workweek and I have an alarm clock. |
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MISSBHAVEN
Joined: 20 Jun 2005 Posts: 310 Location: Grande Prairie, Alberta
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Posted: Mon Aug 08, 2005 6:14 pm Post subject: |
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G-force wrote: | does that mean they PAY for skilled workers or is the pay the reason there arent any? |
There is a huge shortage of skilled workers and as far as I'm concerned most of the unskilled labor here should be paid about $10/hr, not $20/hr. Anyone with a pulse can get a job as a swamper in the oil patch making about $18-20 hr, with no experience. The cost of living here is lower than Calgary's and about the same as Edmonton's. We just don't have enough good workers. Our options are; hire unskilled labour that is going to wreck our equipment and piss of our customers, or we just park our equipment until we can find a good employee. Some trucking companies were parking hundreds of thousands/millions of dollars of equipment last winter because they couldn't find decent workers to operate them. Some of the larger oil companies have set up training centers on the east coast and when the students are trained they are guaranteed a job out west, there flying these people out by the plane load. A friend of mine runs a Picker Truck, his swampers get $20+/hr, they only physically work for about 2 hours a day and ride in the truck the rest of the day, 12-16+ hrs/day, and he can't keep a swamper for more than 4-6 weeks, they know that all they have to do is walk down the street and will get a job for more money.
From an employees point of view, you can't ask for a better economy and area to live in, however it sucks as an employer. Many companies are paying their few good employees guaranteed monthly salaries over the summer, even if the employee doesen't go on a single job. It's cheaper in the long run to pay a good employee over the summer than trying to hire and train new people in the fall.
If you are a consciencious and skilled worker, you'll be treated like gold out here, but you'll be expected to work hard. |
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