Calgary's non-oil industry

November 1st, 2006, 05:32 PM

My husband and I are thinking about moving to Calgary. I heard a lot about how good it is to work in oil industry, but how about other manufacturing comanies in Calgary? What is the situation there? (job availability, pay?). I'm looking for smth like test/lab/quality control tecnician jobs.
What are the good areas to live in within 100 km around Calgary?

April 6th, 2007, 01:52 PM

Yes, there are lots of jobs but from what I understand don't expect anything better than most parts of the country when it comes to non oil field types of postitions. Most companies are not willing to pay a new employee more than an established employee (Really bad for moral I hear) and they are also not willing to hike wages to their regular employees because if there is an economic slowdown they will be stuck paying these high wages and would never be able to roll them back. Keep in mind that a good wage in the oil field is due to the fact that you have to work in pretty miserable conditions and away from home in camps for quite a few of the jobs. I have a friend who works for a major oilfield servicing company doing a skilled, technical, electronics type of job and his wages are not all that great at all, to the point where he wants to quit. His position makes no more than anywhere else in the country. Why? because the job is not the type where you have to live away from home. Most of the people in the oil industry don't make their money from the pay per hour that they receive they make the money from the overtime that they have but you don't live much of a life outside of work and if you have a family you are probably away from them allot of the time unless you work locally in a fabrication palnt.

As far as trying to find a cheaper place to live outside of Calgary or Edmonton, Forget it, everyone has flocked to the outlying areas to find more affordable accomodations and there are NONE! It is expensive EVERYWHERE in Alberta! Trust me, I have looked everywhere!

May 18th, 2007, 05:04 PM

So which is best for oil field work
Fort Mc Murray, Calgary or Edmonton

Can any one tell me what theses camps are
Is it cheap accommodation that you rent, or free accommodation for those working in the oil fields, or some wear you park you caravan/camper bus

May 18th, 2007, 10:30 PM

From what I understand, lodging and food are free with most companies. You generally stay in a portable building and camp kitchen suppliers provide the food. They often fly you out of the area to Edmonton or Calgary or whatever once in a while so you can get some contact with the outside world. Anyone who I have talked to who works in the camps make a TON of cash, and talk about retiring when they are, like, 35.

I do hear, however, that this summer they are expecting a BIG slowdown in the oil industry. It appears that the oil companies are tired of being gouged by high prices and, so, are going to attempt to bring prices down with a slowdown, so jobs might not be as plentiful as they have been.

As far as lab testing and technician work...I do believe there is TONS of that..related to the oil industry, mind you...or related to farming.

May 19th, 2007, 04:56 PM

Thanks for that

So what kind of work do you do in a camp
Are most camp job companies based in Edmonton or Calgary

Have you seen a slow down as of yet, and wear do you think the slow down area will be Fort mc Murray or Edmonton or Calgary.
And do you think it will be oil rigs or oil sands.
I know that the cost of producing oil sands is very expensive and there for if the cost of oil drops than oil sands may not be able to operate
I hear from a lot of web sites that there is expected to be a lot of jobs created in Fort mc Murray for the next several years