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Canadian oil workers who make $120k fresh out of high school with no education are never going to be satisfied with training for their new $70k clean energy job

by DC1350 6y ago

Canadian oil workers who make $120k fresh out of high school with no education are never going to be satisfied with training for their new $70k clean energy jobs. The problem is good jobs, not just jobs. How bad does climate change have to be before the lost wages and income decline is worth it? That’s the real question that nobody ever wants to talk about.

neom 6y ago
Maybe I'm missing something but I just don't understand why those workers can't still make the same $120k out of college no education building solar farms in the Northwest Territories and Nunavut, the winds WHIP across the arctic. Maybe I'm ignorant but it's all engineering, you're working on or build an oil rig or you're working on or building an offshore wind turbine, to me it doesn't seem like a huge stretch to think those same jobs could be transitioned over. Sure, what's the incentive for the private sector? Very little. However Canada doesn't have to take such an American view of capitalism, and we often haven't in our history. So it would require either regulation or forcing the issues through crown corporations. Is that not worth it? Personally I'd be missavily in favour of using a crown corporation to shift things faster.
- DC1350 6y ago
  Canadian engineers don’t make very much (60-120k range is typical) and that’s with a 4 year degree. Neither do technicians, repair people, scientists etc. $120k is just what 18 year olds make doing labour at the very beginning of their career. So the idea that replacing these jobs will ever be politically popular makes no sense to me at all. These people aren’t stupid and they know exactly what they stand to lose if Alberta transfers to renewables. I think they would love to build solar farms if it paid just as well though. > Canada doesn't have to take such an American view of capitalism, and we often haven't in our history. Canadian identity is a lot weaker in the west. I don’t think anyone really cares how “central” Canadians feel.

by DC1350 6y ago

neom 6y ago

Maybe I'm missing something but I just don't understand why those workers can't still make the same $120k out of college no education building solar farms in the Northwest Territories and Nunavut, the winds WHIP across the arctic. Maybe I'm ignorant but it's all engineering, you're working on or build an oil rig or you're working on or building an offshore wind turbine, to me it doesn't seem like a huge stretch to think those same jobs could be transitioned over. Sure, what's the incentive for the private sector? Very little. However Canada doesn't have to take such an American view of capitalism, and we often haven't in our history. So it would require either regulation or forcing the issues through crown corporations. Is that not worth it? Personally I'd be missavily in favour of using a crown corporation to shift things faster.

DC1350 6y ago
Canadian engineers don’t make very much (60-120k range is typical) and that’s with a 4 year degree. Neither do technicians, repair people, scientists etc. $120k is just what 18 year olds make doing labour at the very beginning of their career. So the idea that replacing these jobs will ever be politically popular makes no sense to me at all. These people aren’t stupid and they know exactly what they stand to lose if Alberta transfers to renewables. I think they would love to build solar farms if it paid just as well though. > Canada doesn't have to take such an American view of capitalism, and we often haven't in our history. Canadian identity is a lot weaker in the west. I don’t think anyone really cares how “central” Canadians feel.