03-26-2012, 04:11 PM
Haven't been around for a bit.
I saw this and felt that I should weigh in on it.
I came up in the Post Pipe Line period and was here for the local economy crash of the late '80s.
Then, I went out to Dutch and worked in shore-side canneries and factory ships.
Afterwards, I worked in the construction industry as a self-employed contractor.
Now, I am kicked back taking it easy as a school bus driver waiting to turn 70 next year so that I can quit the working class.
I have not been paying much attention to the local job market,
but there does seem to be a lot of out of state plates on vehicles around town here in Anchorage right now.
There is always an influx of people in the spring which is still about a month away.
Right now things are better here than in the lower 48.
When that happens there is always a flood of new "immigrants" looking for work.
I'm not sure of just what your situation is.
So, I do not know exactly what you are thinking of.
While things are better her than in the Lower 48, the local economy is still a bit depressed compared to a couple of years ago.
Construction is off.
Residential construction is a bit slow, but not at a stand still.
The housing market is a buyer's market right now.
State, Federal and other governmental construction is not exactly booming.
All governments are belt tightening.
While I'm not tuned into it right now, remote work is always a possibility, canneries, fishing, lodges, etc.
My assumption is that more money is to be made in canneries and fishing than the lodges.
Service jobs always pay less.
Unless you are experienced and can prove it, do not confuse "fishing" with fishing.
The type of fishing you might be able to get into is on a factory boat.
Basically, a seagoing cannery.
You can be as long as 3 months or more at sea where you will work 16 to 18 hours a day.
The work is brutal and the conditions are less than luxurious.
But, you have a bunk when you can get to it, and they do feed you very well.
Oh, and physical injury is quite common.
I would have $20k to $30k in the bank at the end of a 3 month trip.
I was on the #2 paying boat in the Bering at the time.
And, there is more money to be made in the winter than summer.
I left Dutch for Anchorage because there wasn't as much money being made anymore.
Shore-side cannery conditions are not quite so bad.
Work days are 12 hours or more with occasional days off when there are no fish.
The pay is usually not quite as good as being on a boat when you count it up at the end of the season.
I'd have about $20k in the bank after a 6 month contract.
Wages are probably still minimum wage [~$7.50?] with OT paid on everything over 8hrs a day and 40hrs a week.
If you don't spend anything you can have some left over when you're done.
Some of the canneries provide room and board and some charge you for it.
[shades of 'Company Store"]
And one last point:
Alaska does not have the high wages relative to other parts of the country it used to have.
People are induced to come up for less pay because they are counting on the Permanent Fund checks which can be ...say $1500 a year for each person in a family children included.
That's $6,000 a year for a family of 4.
So, they're willing to work for less.
If you still have questions ask them.
I don't guaranty the answers, though.
I saw this and felt that I should weigh in on it.
I came up in the Post Pipe Line period and was here for the local economy crash of the late '80s.
Then, I went out to Dutch and worked in shore-side canneries and factory ships.
Afterwards, I worked in the construction industry as a self-employed contractor.
Now, I am kicked back taking it easy as a school bus driver waiting to turn 70 next year so that I can quit the working class.
I have not been paying much attention to the local job market,
but there does seem to be a lot of out of state plates on vehicles around town here in Anchorage right now.
There is always an influx of people in the spring which is still about a month away.
Right now things are better here than in the lower 48.
When that happens there is always a flood of new "immigrants" looking for work.
I'm not sure of just what your situation is.
So, I do not know exactly what you are thinking of.
While things are better her than in the Lower 48, the local economy is still a bit depressed compared to a couple of years ago.
Construction is off.
Residential construction is a bit slow, but not at a stand still.
The housing market is a buyer's market right now.
State, Federal and other governmental construction is not exactly booming.
All governments are belt tightening.
While I'm not tuned into it right now, remote work is always a possibility, canneries, fishing, lodges, etc.
My assumption is that more money is to be made in canneries and fishing than the lodges.
Service jobs always pay less.
Unless you are experienced and can prove it, do not confuse "fishing" with fishing.
The type of fishing you might be able to get into is on a factory boat.
Basically, a seagoing cannery.
You can be as long as 3 months or more at sea where you will work 16 to 18 hours a day.
The work is brutal and the conditions are less than luxurious.
But, you have a bunk when you can get to it, and they do feed you very well.
Oh, and physical injury is quite common.
I would have $20k to $30k in the bank at the end of a 3 month trip.
I was on the #2 paying boat in the Bering at the time.
And, there is more money to be made in the winter than summer.
I left Dutch for Anchorage because there wasn't as much money being made anymore.
Shore-side cannery conditions are not quite so bad.
Work days are 12 hours or more with occasional days off when there are no fish.
The pay is usually not quite as good as being on a boat when you count it up at the end of the season.
I'd have about $20k in the bank after a 6 month contract.
Wages are probably still minimum wage [~$7.50?] with OT paid on everything over 8hrs a day and 40hrs a week.
If you don't spend anything you can have some left over when you're done.
Some of the canneries provide room and board and some charge you for it.
[shades of 'Company Store"]
And one last point:
Alaska does not have the high wages relative to other parts of the country it used to have.
People are induced to come up for less pay because they are counting on the Permanent Fund checks which can be ...say $1500 a year for each person in a family children included.
That's $6,000 a year for a family of 4.
So, they're willing to work for less.
If you still have questions ask them.
I don't guaranty the answers, though.
- - - - - - - - - - -
Was a Democrat until gun control became a knee jerk, then a Republican until the crazies took over, back to being a nonpartisan again.
This time, I can no longer participate in the primary.
Was a Democrat until gun control became a knee jerk, then a Republican until the crazies took over, back to being a nonpartisan again.
This time, I can no longer participate in the primary.