(05-11-2014 12:23 AM)BadWolf Wrote:  

Quote:No health risks at all dude... just dealing with the odd drunk guy at camp etc and making sure people are staying safe. Nobody is really anal, everyone is just there to get a job done and hopes for a hassle-free shift so there's mutual respect for the most part. It definitely won't be a very mentally stimulating job though!

Thats ok, I'm not a very stimulating person.

I'm looking to get any job that doesn't involve tim hortons. I have background in law and security so its easy for me to pick up a security job and I'm coming home from China here with wife in tow. We have a decent house in Ontario and my family is there so I think I'll likely just dump her there instead of bringing her into some thirsty cesspool of horny guys. Scotian has given me some good advice on entry-level trades that I'll put into practice when I get home but I'll also be coming home with around $15,000 to $20,000 CAD and I'd like to sink it into MULTIPLE trades education for the wife and I. She is thinking of doing hairstyling or nursing and I'm looking at anything blue collar.

I was looking at the community college programs at home but every one of them is like a year to two years before entering a job. I have an interest in Mechanics, Welding and Heavy Equipment Operation and an AZ license I haven't used in 4 years. My friend and I were thinking of taking a backhoe/excavator course at home but they run around 10k for a month and I've been screwed at private colleges before.
Any advice from boots on the ground would be very helpful.

I don't have boots on the ground, but I think I could help. Keyano College is probably the best bet. In particular, two programs seem to be perfect for what you want, and perhaps a few others.

The first is a Haul Truck Operator course that runs 4 weeks.
http://www.keyano.ca/Academics/Programs/...ckOperator

The other is a Trades Prep program that runs 24 weeks.
http://www.keyano.ca/Academics/Programs/...reparation

Keyano is right in Fort McMurray, well integrated into the industrial community and you get work placement.

Personally, I am headed to do the Trades prep program. I spent a month reading this thread, and have pretty well set my mind on heading to Edmonton in September to get my tickets. Then I'll try and get any job in a camp and work until the Winter term starts at Keyano in 2015.

I would suggest, as many others have, to get all your safety stuff in Alberta. In Ontario it is ridiculously overpriced. Some you can do online though (CSTS). Hope this helps a bit.

PS: You might want to stay in Edmonton and do a pre-employment at NAIT, probably a better place to stay if you end up bringing your wife along. If not, I'd do Keyano.

Saint Scotian, shepherd of the oil sands.

Just a little 'success story', I suppose for the doubters (which I don't think there are many). I've posted sporadically throughout the course of my oil sands adventure..

But anyway, since moving here took me about a year and a half to go from making 60g a year as an entry level Joe Schmo to ~100k. Give or take 10k depending on rotations and whatnot. The potential to make more is there, but I'm a lazy fuck. I hate work in general.

That's all folks, don't necessarily have to work hard to make it out here. just be smart and you won't be a low level pleb forever.

I'd come out to more meet ups but damn, there's just way too many dudes out here, rolling 20 deep ain't my style haha

Thinking about making the move. Next German heading west.

Just the thought of the challenge and adventure fills my heart with joy.

Enough of this office slavery and predictable boring future...

(05-12-2014 04:15 PM)Bad-Habit Wrote:  Thinking about making the move. Next German heading west.

Just the thought of the challenge and adventure fills my heart with joy.

This is exactly what has been spinning in my head during the last weeks.

Just came across a forecast for the oil sands for the near term and future. It contains some good information to consider if you want to get into a trade and what to expect.

You can find it here: http://www.buildforce.ca/en/system/files...lights.pdf

Some highlights:
- There will be a small lull into 2015, with new construction occurring in 2016.
- Nearly every trade will be in highest demand in 2017, with variable needs in the years preceding and following.

Edit: Here is the 2014 one as well: http://www.buildforce.ca/en/system/files...orward.pdf

Only some small changes. The outlook is still quite good.

(05-12-2014 04:15 PM)Bad-Habit Wrote:  Thinking about making the move. Next German heading west.

Just the thought of the challenge and adventure fills my heart with joy.

Enough of this office slavery and predictable boring future...

Willkommen. You'd be the 3rd German.

I'm surprised everyone is running off to Alberta. Are there not oil platforms in your own countries? I would think that you would be able to make more money in Germany. My brother worked in Germany teaching English and made about $50/hour. He had a fairly decent life, clean air and a pretty hot broad to boot.

(05-12-2014 09:16 PM)BadWolf Wrote:  I'm surprised everyone is running off to Alberta. Are there not oil platforms in your own countries? I would think that you would be able to make more money in Germany. My brother worked in Germany teaching English and made about $50/hour. He had a fairly decent life, clean air and a pretty hot broad to boot.

The thing is that it's damn hard to get on a Norwegian oil rig without any proper education or experience. In my country there are no oil or gas industry.

Alberta gives the opportunity for people who want to start from scratch and work themselves up the ladder.

I'm glad it worked out well for your brother in Germany.
But I'm sure there are quite a few guys here who would kill themselves if they had to stand in front of a class and teach English for kids five days a week.

English teaching is not for everybody, exactly like the trades are not for everybody,

Word up Chaos I don't see any opportunity for me to make money in this country. I sadly quit school before aquiring the education to go to university, went to the army and am now finishing an apprenticeship as an IT specialist. In that job I will make 28k a year. Maybe 20k left after shit I have to pay.

I could work and go to school for three years just to get the education I need to go to university, then I would have to spend all my earned money on that and would still be a broke mofo. So after 7 years of being broke and bored I could make 60k.

I'd rather go on the adventure with the chance of stacking a million in that time.

I worked excactly 2 months at my company now. I made 7600$ so far. No qualifications, no prior experience. Straight out of highschool. Working 40hours/week at an easy steady job.

Those numbers scotian is putting up aren't unrealistic at all. He's been doing it for 8 years. All you have to do is come out here, hit the streets and you'll be making money. I came here with pretty much nothing. Now I have a car and a brand new motorbike. Back home this wouldn't have been possible at all.

Scotian thanks for making this thread. I would of never got into the oil field down here if it wasn't for it.

Hey guys, I'm an American currently making 9.00/hr full time as a dishwasher. Shitty pay for the city I'm in. I really want to travel out of the country, and make some good money at the same time. I see that there are easy and hard jobs in this industry, and I'd like to know how I can get started right now. Any recent advice and/or openings? My job is hard work, long hours and shitty pay. I'm tired of being broke.

^^Go to Midland or Odessa, TX. You ain't gonna get in Canada easily.

U.S. workers: Need job, can’t travel to Alberta

Quote:Alberta needs more workers—as many as 114,000 in the next decade, according to provincial figures. It seems like the perfect opportunity—bring trained U.S. workers to help fill the labour shortage in booming Alberta. Yet hiring those workers is difficult, employers complain.
...
“Canada and the U.S. have given lip service to labour mobility since NAFTA,” says Dawson, “but the difficulties of making it a reality have meant there has been little progress..."

(05-13-2014 05:46 PM)Tresdus Wrote:  I worked excactly 2 months at my company now. I made 7600$ so far. No qualifications, no prior experience. Straight out of highschool. Working 40hours/week at an easy steady job.

Those numbers scotian is putting up aren't unrealistic at all. He's been doing it for 8 years. All you have to do is come out here, hit the streets and you'll be making money. I came here with pretty much nothing. Now I have a car and a brand new motorbike. Back home this wouldn't have been possible at all.

Street motorcycle or off road dirt bike? I'm going down to Etown in a couple of weeks and am planning on taking my dirt bike out for a rip somewhere up near Bruderheim.

(05-13-2014 07:42 PM)Screwston Wrote:  ^^Go to Midland or Odessa, TX. You ain't gonna get in Canada easily.

Are there links to jobs for these areas? Also, it seems to be worth the hassle trying to get into Canada considering the pay, hours available and expenses being covered.

(05-13-2014 08:21 PM)RexImperator Wrote:  U.S. workers: Need job, can’t travel to Alberta

Quote:Alberta needs more workers—as many as 114,000 in the next decade, according to provincial figures. It seems like the perfect opportunity—bring trained U.S. workers to help fill the labour shortage in booming Alberta. Yet hiring those workers is difficult, employers complain.
...
“Canada and the U.S. have given lip service to labour mobility since NAFTA,” says Dawson, “but the difficulties of making it a reality have meant there has been little progress..."

Interesting link, thanks for posting...
Article is 2 years old... I wonder if any progress has been made?
Hopefully this TFW shit up in Canada is the straw that will finally break the camel's back and fast track this shit.

(05-14-2014 12:20 AM)ash093 Wrote:  

(05-13-2014 07:42 PM)Screwston Wrote:  ^^Go to Midland or Odessa, TX. You ain't gonna get in Canada easily.

Are there links to jobs for these areas? Also, it seems to be worth the hassle trying to get into Canada considering the pay, hours available and expenses being covered.

No theres no links. Research the oil field before trying to jump into it. Youre clueless about that world in your own country yet want to hop into it in another country. Im not explaining everything over and over for guys who are all talk and no action. Pack your shit and go to Midland or Odessa if you're serious about making a change.

(05-14-2014 01:00 AM)Screwston Wrote:  

(05-14-2014 12:20 AM)ash093 Wrote:  

(05-13-2014 07:42 PM)Screwston Wrote:  ^^Go to Midland or Odessa, TX. You ain't gonna get in Canada easily.

Are there links to jobs for these areas? Also, it seems to be worth the hassle trying to get into Canada considering the pay, hours available and expenses being covered.

No theres no links. Research the oil field before trying to jump into it. Youre clueless about that world in your own country yet want to hop into it in another country. Im not explaining everything over and over for guys who are all talk and no action. Pack your shit and go to Midland or Odessa if you're serious about making a change.

Fair enough. But I'm not clueless. From the jobs I had found about a month ago, Canada's jobs were paying more so I said fuck the U.S. jobs available in the industry in Texas, Ohio, ND, and so forth. But since Canada's a hassle getting work in as an American, I'll get on my shit and starting putting out applications left and right. Also, according to Craigslist, rent for apartments is rather pricey. I'm considering renting my own place as opposed to camping if that's available. This of course depends on many factors.

Do you guys think a finished German IT apprenticeship as an IT specialist will help me over there? Otherwise I'll just quit and move my ass. In the first quarter of the thread is mentioned "yes they got IT jobs here" but that's it so far.

Only found this:
IT maintenance technician

Also I can't see the dude watching over the internet getting paid very well.

(05-14-2014 05:48 AM)Bad-Habit Wrote:  Do you guys think a finished German IT apprenticeship as an IT specialist will help me over there? Otherwise I'll just quit and move my ass. In the first quarter of the thread is mentioned "yes they got IT jobs here" but that's it so far.

Only found this:
IT maintenance technician

Also I can't see the dude watching over the internet getting paid very well.

From my extensive research thus far, I've come to the conclusion that if you're not local, you WILL have to save up money if you don't have it already and travel out to these areas to get work. This also means you'll obviously need a driver's license to drive a rental during your stay. However, you exponentially increase your chances of finding work by doing this (assuming you prepared for the trip and have good logicistics)

(05-14-2014 05:48 AM)Bad-Habit Wrote:  Do you guys think a finished German IT apprenticeship as an IT specialist will help me over there? Otherwise I'll just quit and move my ass. In the first quarter of the thread is mentioned "yes they got IT jobs here" but that's it so far.

Only found this:
IT maintenance technician

Also I can't see the dude watching over the internet getting paid very well.

You can't just move there anyway. You have to wait until at least February 2015 until the new visas come out.

^ new visas?

(05-14-2014 08:24 AM)Chaos Wrote:  ^ new visas?

He's talking about the visa lottery the Canadian government uses to let immigrants from the EU come in.

Also, no. You can't come in with a tourist visa, apply for a job, and then try to get a work visa. It's been stated in the thread previously.

(05-14-2014 08:40 AM)Cattle Rustler Wrote:  

(05-14-2014 08:24 AM)Chaos Wrote:  ^ new visas?

He's talking about the visa lottery the Canadian government uses to let immigrants from the EU come in.

Also, no. You can't come in with a tourist visa, apply for a job, and then try to get a work visa. It's been stated in the thread previously.

That sucks. Bad news.
But thanks for explaining it!