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There are tons of high-paying jobs for qualified engineers and tradesmen with relevant experience. Let's not pretend a guy with an English PhD can get a well-pa

There are tons of high-paying jobs for qualified engineers and tradesmen with relevant experience. Let's not pretend a guy with an English PhD can get a well-paying job in Fort McMurray without years of costly retraining. Even engineers without relevant experience (SAGD or at least site exp) will have a tough time getting O&G industry jobs. When the industry says "skill shortage" it means that engineers are starting to ask for 1/50th of the CEO's pay, not that they'll actually hire any comers.

javert 13y ago
Are you saying there are not plenty of jobs in the oil fields for people without highly specialized training? That was not my understanding but what I heard was just secondhand. Anyway, it's just an example---there are still plenty of jobs out there for people who are willing to work hard, especially intelligent people, even if they don't have specialized training.
- eigenvector 13y ago
  There are unskilled jobs - night watchman, etc. But they don't pay any better than working retail in an oil town (working at Tim Horton's in Fort Mac pays $18/hr). Cost of living is high in these places (because there is such demand for labour and property). A person working unskilled labour in an oil town isn't living any better than someone doing the same in NYC or SF. The jobs that do pay much better in the O&G industry than elsewhere are skilled jobs - heavy equipment operator, millwright, pipefitter, etc. You'll generally need a Red Seal or equivalent certification for these.
- HarryHirsch 13y ago
  The population of the Dakotas is 1.5 millions. The number of unemployed people in the US stands at 12 millions. The Bakken oil patch couldn't make a dent in the national unemployment rate, even if it wanted to. I have no clue where this pernicious "there's jobs in the Dakotas" meme comes from, but it needs to die right quick.
  - javert 13y ago
    That is just one example, but the point is that there are a LOT of people in this country that could work but simply don't want to. So the egalitarian whining is just that, whining. > I have no clue where this pernicious "there's jobs in the Dakotas" meme comes from, but it needs to die right quick. This is an attempt to replace a rational debate with intimidation. I often see people try to replace it with emotion, but intimidation? Really? I can only assume it wasn't intentional.

javert 13y ago

Are you saying there are not plenty of jobs in the oil fields for people without highly specialized training? That was not my understanding but what I heard was just secondhand. Anyway, it's just an example---there are still plenty of jobs out there for people who are willing to work hard, especially intelligent people, even if they don't have specialized training.

eigenvector 13y ago
There are unskilled jobs - night watchman, etc. But they don't pay any better than working retail in an oil town (working at Tim Horton's in Fort Mac pays $18/hr). Cost of living is high in these places (because there is such demand for labour and property). A person working unskilled labour in an oil town isn't living any better than someone doing the same in NYC or SF. The jobs that do pay much better in the O&G industry than elsewhere are skilled jobs - heavy equipment operator, millwright, pipefitter, etc. You'll generally need a Red Seal or equivalent certification for these.
HarryHirsch 13y ago
The population of the Dakotas is 1.5 millions. The number of unemployed people in the US stands at 12 millions. The Bakken oil patch couldn't make a dent in the national unemployment rate, even if it wanted to. I have no clue where this pernicious "there's jobs in the Dakotas" meme comes from, but it needs to die right quick.
- javert 13y ago
  That is just one example, but the point is that there are a LOT of people in this country that could work but simply don't want to. So the egalitarian whining is just that, whining. > I have no clue where this pernicious "there's jobs in the Dakotas" meme comes from, but it needs to die right quick. This is an attempt to replace a rational debate with intimidation. I often see people try to replace it with emotion, but intimidation? Really? I can only assume it wasn't intentional.