If you have a trade you can become a PR in under a year the process seems to be ok.. That's the route I am takeing.

Lol at you potential marriage scammers, I say go for it! Here's a tip though: go for fat chicks, they have low self esteem and usually good credit, they'll fall for your BS scam.

(12-05-2013 09:51 AM)Tresdus Wrote:  Irishman what are you thoughts on marrying a Canadian woman? Sounds pretty good to me:
http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/2010/...riage.html

Haha maybe if she is an only daughter and daddy owns some drilling companies.

The amount of guys on the rigs who have split their wealth a couple times over from being divorced turns you off marriage pretty fast.

Hey guys I'm looking for some solid advice here. I'm 19 living in Canada, Toronto to be exact. I was in university last year but decided it just wasn't for me so here I am taking this year off to figure things out. I'm seriously interested going over to Alberta to work the oil sands but I haven't got any experience in the construction/oil/trades business. I've only got retail experience.

So, what should someone in my position do? I want to do more then just shovel snow or dig trenches so what's the best Certificate/Diploma that I should attain in the shortest amount of time to maximize my earnings while over there? Electrical tech, management etc.

Thanks

(12-05-2013 05:35 PM)blazer88888 Wrote:  Hey guys I'm looking for some solid advice here. I'm 19 living in Canada, Toronto to be exact. I was in university last year but decided it just wasn't for me so here I am taking this year off to figure things out. I'm seriously interested going over to Alberta to work the oil sands but I haven't got any experience in the construction/oil/trades business. I've only got retail experience.

So, what should someone in my position do? I want to do more then just shovel snow or dig trenches so what's the best Certificate/Diploma that I should attain in the shortest amount of time to maximize my earnings while over there? Electrical tech, management etc.

Thanks

Get a diploma in Women's and Gender Studies.

Or just read through the first post of this thread.

Quote:The biggest number of jobs are those in the building trades, they are fairly easy to get into and are all very WELL PAYING jobs, these include: welder, pipe fitter, electrician, boiler maker, scaffolder, iron worker, crane operator, industrial insulator, etc. All of these trades are in high demand, if you take a pre-employment course at a community college (4-12 weeks, depends on trade)

Quote:The biggest number of jobs are those in the building trades, they are fairly easy to get into and are all very WELL PAYING jobs, these include: welder, pipe fitter, electrician, boiler maker, scaffolder, iron worker, crane operator, industrial insulator, etc. All of these trades are in high demand, if you take a pre-employment course at a community college (4-12 weeks, depends on trade)

[/quote]

4-12 weeks for a diploma/certificate? I would really to know which colleges offer those credentials in a short period of time. In my state, MO, most of those classes have a least a years study - 30+ hours course completion. I've also been researching online and can't find any courses for industrial insulator. I will continue researching online in the morning.

God please, do not even think of marrying a Canadian girl, let alone shacking up with her. Imagine Duke University times 10.

(12-05-2013 09:24 PM)attentiveone Wrote:  4-12 weeks for a diploma/certificate? I would really to know which colleges offer those credentials in a short period of time. In my state, MO, most of those classes have a least a years study - 30+ hours course completion. I've also been researching online and can't find any courses for industrial insulator. I will continue researching online in the morning.

Only one I can think of off the top of my head is Northern Alberta Institute of Technology (NAIT). There are slight differences between Canadian and American colleges. A degree, diploma, and certificate all differ from one another in Canada. Whereas in the US a diploma is understood as what one would receive after the completion of any type of educational program (the pretty piece of paper you get at the end.)

Yep, there's indeed much money to be made in the oil industry.

(12-03-2013 10:20 AM)MunichSux Wrote:  Seems as if the whole oil sands thing has gotten a healthy dose of overhype here on rooshv, now it's time for a reality check !

Not really.

In this province, any tradesman and future tradesman can both find a job easier and expect to get paid much much more handsomely than he would in any other Canadian province, and probably much of the world.

Once you get here though, your own personality will determine how much money you'll make. I came to Edmonton at the end of March. I will finish the year with 60K gross and some change in my pension. I could have made 100K (EASILY!) had I been willing to work outside the city and maybe jump around from company to company. I didn't want to do that. Next year I will make 90K+ if I work the same number of hours and stay in the city like I did this year (maybe even more b/c my salary is now higher than it was for much of this year, and I also missed Jan, Feb and most of March).

IF I work outside the city next year, I will make 6 figures within 6 months. I believe that's the name of thread. So Scotian didn't hype anything up.

How much money you make, is completely up to you. I personally didn't want to live in a camp and found Edmonton plenty cold enough already.

I'm now studying power engineering through correspondence (@ NAIT). I'm taking my sweet ass time as I'm also working during the week.

Most people will pick up a trade and work their way up the ladder, and will gladly work outside the city. Within a year or two they're making 6 figures in 6 months and never see the need to go into something like power engineering or actual engineering. I can't handle camp life and I also don't really enjoy my current trade, so I'm studying power engineering in order to make that "6 figures in 6 months" as the title says.

Point is, it's extremely doable and if you think it's hype, than you haven't been here and seen what it's like out here. Whether you stick to a trade and "level up" or become an engineer, you'll be making "6 figures in 6 months" faster than you'll ever manage in most parts of the world, that is if you ever even get the chance to do so.

(12-05-2013 05:35 PM)blazer88888 Wrote:  Hey guys I'm looking for some solid advice here. I'm 19 living in Canada, Toronto to be exact. I was in university last year but decided it just wasn't for me so here I am taking this year off to figure things out. I'm seriously interested going over to Alberta to work the oil sands but I haven't got any experience in the construction/oil/trades business. I've only got retail experience.

So, what should someone in my position do? I want to do more then just shovel snow or dig trenches so what's the best Certificate/Diploma that I should attain in the shortest amount of time to maximize my earnings while over there? Electrical tech, management etc.

Thanks

Is making quick money your main objective or would you consider taking a two year technical diploma and get into something that would be more of a career? If I was 19, that's what I would do.

(12-05-2013 11:36 PM)Laurifer Wrote:  

(12-05-2013 09:24 PM)attentiveone Wrote:  4-12 weeks for a diploma/certificate? I would really to know which colleges offer those credentials in a short period of time. In my state, MO, most of those classes have a least a years study - 30+ hours course completion. I've also been researching online and can't find any courses for industrial insulator. I will continue researching online in the morning.

Only one I can think of off the top of my head is Northern Alberta Institute of Technology (NAIT). There are slight differences between Canadian and American colleges. A degree, diploma, and certificate all differ from one another in Canada. Whereas in the US a diploma is understood as what one would receive after the completion of any type of educational program (the pretty piece of paper you get at the end.)

NAIT, SAIT, Red Deer College, Lethbridge College, Grande Prairie College and Keyano College all offer trades training and some sort of pre-employment courses. If you get hired on with a union, they will train you up as well in house, some of them anyway.

How can a 20 year old in NYC get a slice of all this? This college thing has me feeling defeated, and theres nothing around here for me to do. I'm working on a Nursing Degree in Community College, perhaps medical staff is required up there? Won't be for another couple years till im finished with all of that though.

Anything else for a dude up there to earn some cash? Construction? Anything? Any help from you guys is appreciated, it's getting desperate out here in Brooklyn.

(12-06-2013 11:24 PM)Ironbound Wrote:  How can a 20 year old in NYC get a slice of all this? This college thing has me feeling defeated, and theres nothing around here for me to do. I'm working on a Nursing Degree in Community College, perhaps medical staff is required up there? Won't be for another couple years till im finished with all of that though.

Anything else for a dude up there to earn some cash? Construction? Anything? Any help from you guys is appreciated, it's getting desperate out here in Brooklyn.

Read the thread, your question has been asked 100 times.

(12-06-2013 11:24 PM)Ironbound Wrote:  Anything else for a dude up there to earn some cash? Construction? Anything? Any help from you guys is appreciated, it's getting desperate out here in Brooklyn.

Before you do anything, read the entire thread.

Don't blame you for wanting to get out of that high cost hipster infested sprawl. Yes, there are numerous construction jobs here. But you can't just hop on a plane, land in Alberta and expect to be hired and work. Don't take my advice as the law of the land, but as far as I know, there is a visa process that takes time to complete and usually you will need to have a company sponsor you to come and work for them if you are a foreigner. If you lack tangible skills, this may be difficult to do.

Explore this website to gain an understanding of what it takes to come here.

If I were you, I'd come to Alberta as a student to attend of the several schools that were recently listed and study an in-demand trade.

Sometimes I am reminded of how blessed I am to be a dual citizen.

I'm so glad that I'm not in Alberta right now, my Facebook has blown up with everyone posting pics about how cold it is, then I read this article and see that Alberta was The coldest place on Earth a couple of days ago. You poor bastards!

(12-07-2013 03:20 PM)scotian Wrote:  I'm so glad that I'm not in Alberta right now, my Facebook has blown up with everyone posting pics about how cold it is, then I read this article and see that Alberta was The coldest place on Earth a couple of days ago. You poor bastards!

Yeah man, I'm in the "warm" part of Canada and my window is frozen shut with an inch of ice!!!

fuck going to Alberta in the winter I can barely handle -10 here lol

I was working last night it hit -43 with windchill 'twas a bit cold alright .

(12-07-2013 03:20 PM)scotian Wrote:  I'm so glad that I'm not in Alberta right now, my Facebook has blown up with everyone posting pics about how cold it is, then I read this article and see that Alberta was The coldest place on Earth a couple of days ago. You poor bastards!

lol yesterday was insane

It was -50 with windchill down in Olds, 2 hours South of Edmonton!!!!!!!!!

Hey Nima buddy have yiu any idea if your a qualified electrician can you count some of that time and skip the first year in power engineering? Thinking for the long term when I get my Pr in the next couple of years.. The next couple of years I will work as an electrican :-)

(12-07-2013 07:31 PM)salmonfella Wrote:  Hey Nima buddy have yiu any idea if your a qualified electrician can you count some of that time and skip the first year in power engineering? Thinking for the long term when I get my Pr in the next couple of years.. The next couple of years I will work as an electrican :-)

There are 5 PE classes. You can start with class 4 or 5 (5 is useless). I'm pretty sure your experience as an electrician won't get counted.

You need first hand experience with boilers. The theory part is a piece of cake and you can do it on your own and at your own pace online. Getting the steam time is the hard part.

(12-07-2013 08:33 PM)Nima Wrote:  

(12-07-2013 07:31 PM)salmonfella Wrote:  Hey Nima buddy have yiu any idea if your a qualified electrician can you count some of that time and skip the first year in power engineering? Thinking for the long term when I get my Pr in the next couple of years.. The next couple of years I will work as an electrican :-)

There are 5 PE classes. You can start with class 4 or 5 (5 is useless). I'm pretty sure your experience as an electrician won't get counted.

You need first hand experience with boilers. The theory part is a piece of cake and you can do it on your own and at your own pace online. Getting the steam time is the hard part.

I worked for 4 months on some pretty big boiler jobs in 2013 and have an offer to work at them again for 9 months next year, starting in February, not sure if I'll take it or not. It was at coal fired electrical plants that were built in the 60's and 70's, despite their old age, they were a lot cleaner than working at the oil sands sites, especially the mining sites with cokers, which are fucking filthy places to work.

I have been reading this post for close to a year and finally decided to go for it. Thanks to everyone who provided helpful info I will be in Alberta in February.

Hi guys, I'm a 20 year old white male from Bucharest, Romania. I'm currently broke and in dire need of a job. My dad got laid off his cvasi-high paying job(he didn't actually get laid off, the company filed for bankrupcy) almost 6 months ago, and he's too old and out of the game to land any job that pays anything even remotely close to that. We're currently living by Romanian standards in poverty(150$/family member) and it seems like there's no light at the end of the tunnel. The economic situation in Romania is in shambles, it's very hard to land a job without a college degree, most jobs that i can apply to have frequently 800+ other appliants and pay about 2$/hour. I'm going to list what i believe is some relevant information about myself from a hiring perspective, with the hopes that it will help any of you that are willing to give me some advice.

Education: I finished highschool and got my Baccalaureate degree, but with a pretty low grade.
Languages: I speak english fluently, most people assume that i lived in an english speaking country. I have no certifications to attest to this claim, but i could get a IELTS or Cambridge with a high grade - problem is the certification costs money. Unfortunately i can't speak any other languages.
Experience: I have a very limited work experience, i worked in retail for a short while, and did some other small jobs.
Other pros: I'm very fit, did sports and worked out religiously for over 2 years, i have a healthy strong body and i'm willing to put it to work. I'm also a very fast learner.

I have no blue-collar experience or skills currently. I am willing to travel thousands of kilometers away and live in a camp in Canada and mop the floors if it means being able to support my family. Could I ever land a job in the Oil Sands?

Any advice or perspective in general on what i can do in my situation would be greatly appreciated.