Well we pulled out of our dive a while ago...it had been looking bad, and I thought it was going to be 82-86 all over again, We are more diversified, I will say by accident not design. I have noticed some changes since roughly oct- nov. I was in Edmonton one evening visiting and met 2 people, one a married guy I am quessing was 26-29. He moved out from Victoria, I believe he does something with computers (programing) anyway he was saying how there was just nothing for him on the island work wise, he could have found a job in Vancouver but the congestion and cost of living was through the roof...even though its lean here, he has been able to pick up contract work, and is able to afford to rent a whole house that he couldn't do had he gone to Vancouver. He is confident he will have permanent work soon , and will be looking to buy a home at that time.
The other person was a woman late 30s from Ontario, I think Toronto, but only a guess...she is some accounting specialist of some sort. Came out blind had nothing lined up, and said she had no trouble finding work, easier than Ontario and she said much better pay....is happy as hell and cant believe how affordable homes are here. They both kind of raising a eye brow at the complaining native Albertans do.
One friend who was laid off a year or more ago, I will prefex this story by saying he is as sharp as a tack .couldn't get a job, he is 50, no trade, or degree, He didn't piss around and complain he started his own company,a one man operation, it started slow, then his company(him) was hired to do a contract job for some electrical contractor (site clean up I think). I think that was in October...well by the end of December and with the projects end in site the contractor came to him and said that their next job in Edmonton started up Later in 2017, but they liked his work so very much ( I don't have stupid friends) they offered him a job as a apprentice Electrician said they would pay him 3rd year rate to start, and fly him to Vancouver where he could work on one of their projects there until the Edmonton project starts up....He took it! Give him 2 years and he will be site superintendant!
I was at a company in a nearby small town in November I pulled in the yard and was waiting for the fork lift to come, when one of the office staff I knew came out for a smoke, We were talking and she was saying how busy they were and how pissed off the manager was because he had to fire 2 people that week who worked the production line, said they just couldn't show up on time after the weekend 🙄 ...she didn't say what they paid hourly but said it was good pay, lay offs don't happen, Said overtime if they wanted it, said they had profit sharing, and matching pension contributions, as well as the usual health and dental...
In Dec,Through friends I was approached by a truck driver, owner of his own new rig. He is retirement age and the wife wants him home, he is busy, and has contracts, he knew me socialy and heard I had a truck license, and a clean licence in every way..and could piss urine that would pass a drug test,he was wondering if I would be interested in driving for him. I had to say no, as mine is a class 3 truck licence for things like vac trucks, and class one is needed for his big rigs with air brakes. Though I am thinking I should talk to him more as I would like to upgrade to class one, whether I use it or not. if fact I think I will call him this week. and make arraingments to do so if he is ameanable. Class one is nice to have even if you never need it.
I also within just days of this request came across another Full time position requiring a class one....
I will sumerize what I am typing quickly.... Most jobs are never advertised! You need to hussle,! you need 2 to sell your self! you need to be flexable!! working a shit job is better than no job, and I have done shit jobs myself. when I had to. I stepped of a buss, from Victoria Dec 24th in the town of Camrose in 1981 at -15C, I was in my teens. I am eternally gratefull for the relatives who took me In during what was the worst down turn ever seen.
We are very lucky to live in Alberta, when I walk out my back door gratitude is all I have towards, first my good dumb luck,in returning here and second to anyone who helped me ...for so many reasons. If you need work and I know the conditions are not perfect, hussle, work for less, work to learn.
Alberta is a damn good Province. and I am hearing its so even in this slow down. Food for thought. Hussle!
Give a man a gun, and he can rob a bank. Give a man a bank, and he can rob the world.
Well done, Peppercorn! And excellent advice.
PrepHer
Interesting observations Peppercorn. Like you, I'm an import here in AB and will settle here based on the values and the opportunities to be offered. Wondering how long this will last though with the political map being rewritten in favour of the large cities.
Just looked in to the things I usually keep my eye on but havnt lately.....Copper in the last 6 months from 2.10 to 2.60-2.70 +25% price increase. Prime industrial metal.
The Baltic index is 3 times higher in one year! from 300.00 to 900.00 today, Shipping companies are making money again. http://www.tradingeconomics.com/commodity/baltic
Unions rates have dropped, I think the Electricians took a 8 dollar a hour haircut, fab and maintenance jobs are being bid on with just 1.5 overtime rather than what had been the customary X2. with lower labour costs, more projects can get moving...slowly, but the trend in activity is up....Just checked the demand for machinists, and it is up big time (south Edmonton Nisku area) That's a major precursor sign that we are pulling out of the trough.
Give a man a gun, and he can rob a bank. Give a man a bank, and he can rob the world.
I don't get what you mean HP....how long what will last with the political map being rewritten in favour of the large cities ?
Give a man a gun, and he can rob a bank. Give a man a bank, and he can rob the world.
I meant the traditional Albertan values that made me move here in the first place. With the government being more influenced by city folks, which in turn has seen a large amount of immigration. I expect there will be more and more left-leaning governments. Then influence the oil and other resources industries.... Then....
What are traditional Albertan values?
Umm, didn't mean to open a can of worm with that one. Ok, my opinion only. A more conservative, traditional life style, maybe even allowing and enabling libertarianism. Where hard honest work is compensated by an honest pay check. Among other things I suppose.
Ahh traditional Albertan values, ...always good, I am with you, why don't we ask the Blackfoot or Cree what those are....thousands of years of traditional values, or I should say were before our more modern values put them on small, often remote, and valueless (mostly) little plots of land, land they couldn't even step off of without written permission, well their children could, cause we wanted them, hell our values often demanded the children be taken, for educative purposes of course, as our values have only the best intent, into the loving pastoral care of grown celibate men in black flowing evening gowns..Cant see anything going wrong there.......certainly not when the flowing gowned have our traditional values..... Im just having fun with you...consider it food for thought regarding ideas of superior values over another....if having provoked thought on your plate is unwelcome just ignore. Despite my pointed content, The above is mostly rhetorical anyway. Such is my nature, and the character of my rural Albertan values to challenge all thought, I will say it again,..... all thought!!... such a bull in a china shop am I.
I don't really think city folk begrudge anyone pay for a honest days work. In fact I have not found city folk to be a problem in any way. I do find people from the city, who move out to the country to be a greater problem.....They start demanding services, or maybe I should say pressuring the county for services......Paved roads, city quality delivered water supplies, Garbage pick up and the like..... I am so fortunate that in the area I am in....everyone has said puck off to them....everyone of my neighbours has said to go pound sand , when the pedlars of services have come around. We are stunningly independent in my area.....and that's so rare, I can say everyone in my area can meet there own heating requirements (wood stoves), has stocked pantries, has wells and-or dug outs for water, even if its crap water,Everyone!! and many are off grid electrically, or have generators they can run as needed, or even go without power just fine.
Now I just spoke with a guy south of me ( this evening) , he was called back to work in Drayton in the beginning of January (labourer), says he has work until break up (march april) for sure, said they are busy as hell, another relative of mine in Drayton has more work than he can handle....So things are turning around in Alberta....its not the crazy times where you could cross the street and get a job for more money, but you can at least get a job if you want one, and it will pay the bills. Quit complaining (for those doing so) ,Get out their and hussle and you will find a job.
Give a man a gun, and he can rob a bank. Give a man a bank, and he can rob the world.
Well done, Peppercorn! And excellent advice.
PrepHer
Thank you prepher. Alberta really does have so much opertunity, even in the down times. Though Opertunity is often what you make of it....
Give a man a gun, and he can rob a bank. Give a man a bank, and he can rob the world.