I might have to go to work

[s_morrison57]

I heard a rumor from one of my co-workers and it looks like I'll be going back to work in 4-6 weeks. I worked 7 weeks last year and have been at home since last June, I still get paid so its been fun but I'm bored stiff so the jungle will be a nice change.
How bored am I? I took everything outta the garage, dusted and painted and just finishing putting it all back together - yes its time to go back.
Finn

[Aragorn]

Just curious what you do that you get paid full time and work seven weeks a year. Do they have an apprentice program that I could join? This seems like the perfect profession that I need to get into. I think I could thrive at that job.

[s_morrison57]

It's a combination of skill, and years of experience and there's a big horse shoe involved too.

[ZOA NOM]

gotta be a webcam involved

[Head416]

This sounds like the profession I've been dreaming of! Work really gets in the way of enjoying life.

[SiberianDVM]

Work is over rated. I'd continue to avoid it if I were you.

[dad911]

You work at Initech?

[azasadny]

Do you need an intern?

[Hugh R]

IIRC he is an oil well driller in Belize or something. Long days, hard work.

[BRPORSCHE]

Not a whole lot of oil in Belize. Unless it's a diamond mine.

[fintstone]

Sounds like the opposite of my situation. Military keeps asking me to "volunteer" for a year in the desert for target practice (I am the target) for less than half my normal income. They seem genuinely surprised that I don't jump on the "opportunity."

[Aragorn]

Originally Posted by Hugh R

IIRC he is an oil well driller in Belize or something. Long days, hard work.

Hugh's response has me thinking that some of the U.S. oil jobs sound pretty good on the surface. The boom in the Dakotas is rumored to be paying high five and six figure salaries for truck driving jobs. I would drive a truck 8 hours a day for six figures. I watched one of the Alaska shows that had a group of drillers drilling near the Arctic circle. I remember something about the salary being six figures for roughly 7 weeks work. Sure you freeze your tuckus off, but for six large for 7 weeks, I could stand to be a little cold.

[porsche4life]

Those truck driving jobs, ain't 8 hr days... My uncle in OK should make 90+ this year hauling crude, but he rarely works less than 60hrs, in just about any weather...


Ask him a about how many log books he's running..... It's good pay, but it ain't 8hrs sitting on your ass in the truck

[Venetian]

I work in the oil and gas industry(drilling) here in Western Canada. Yes big money can be made but the downside is long hours(12 hrs/day), adverse conditions at times, remoteness and often seasonal. The usual schedule is 2 weeks on and 1 week off. The work can be somewhat dangerous as well.

The "low" man on the totem pole probably makes about $400/day. Supervisors would be in the $1400/day range. Many make a serious career while many more come and go.

[recycled sixtie]

Originally Posted by Venetian

I work in the oil and gas industry(drilling) here in Western Canada. Yes big money can be made but the downside is long hours(12 hrs/day), adverse conditions at times, remoteness and often seasonal. The usual schedule is 2 weeks on and 1 week off. The work can be somewhat dangerous as well.

The "low" man on the totem pole probably makes about $400/day. Supervisors would be in the $1400/day range. Many make a serious career while many more come and go.

I have total respect for any person that does dangerous work. Good for you.I really dislike it when a person is in a social setting and they diss you because of the $$$ you make as if you did not deserve it. I say walk a mile in my shoes as an example....

I worked underground in the mines in Sudbury Ontario and did not consider it too dangerous however it seemed that about every sixth man walked with a limp.

[Aragorn]

Originally Posted by recycled sixtie

I have total respect for any person that does dangerous work. Good for you.I really dislike it when a person is in a social setting and they diss you because of the $$$ you make as if you did not deserve it. I say walk a mile in my shoes as an example....

I worked underground in the mines in Sudbury Ontario and did not consider it too dangerous however it seemed that about every sixth man walked with a limp.

I didn't think I was dissing anyone so if it came off that way I apologize. Further I don't think I mentioned anything about drivers not deserving their pay. All I was trying to say was those are good paying jobs which are scarce around my neck of the woods. With what Venetian was saying and by my calculations the pay in the Canadian oil fields is around $86k and $260k a year which is outstanding. Most people around here make under $20k a year on average if they can find work. Most people around here further would give their left nut to make that kind of coin above ground driving a truck. Working as a rigger or as a miner is different and more hazardous.

[speeder]

Originally Posted by Aragorn

I didn't think I was dissing anyone so if it came off that way I apologize. Further I don't think I mentioned anything about drivers not deserving their pay. All I was trying to say was those are good paying jobs which are scarce around my neck of the woods. With what Venetian was saying and by my calculations the pay in the Canadian oil fields is around $86k and $260k a year which is outstanding. Most people around here make under $20k a year on average if they can find work. Most people around here further would give their left nut to make that kind of coin above ground driving a truck. Working as a rigger or as a miner is different and more hazardous.

This post is very telling. The job opportunities and pay vary dramatically depending on location in North America, not to mention the rest of the world. particularly for blue collar jobs, which are the bread and butter of the working class. A guy I've known all my life went to Wyoming to work on an oil rig in the '70s when we were 18, (right out of HS), he came back a year later with $35k in cash saved which was an absolute fortune in 1978 to this teenager.

He was that kind of guy, a super-ambitious risk taker that was willing to load up his beater car and drive to WY. on a rumor of big bucks for horrible work. Similar to guys who got to Alaska and work on a fishing boat for 6 mo. or a year, big bucks for manual labor but dangerous hard work in horrible conditions. There's a reason they pay so much, they need to attract workers from other places willing to relocate and it's a tough job. I'm thinking the oil jobs mentioned here are similar.

[recycled sixtie]

Originally Posted by Aragorn

I didn't think I was dissing anyone so if it came off that way I apologize. Further I don't think I mentioned anything about drivers not deserving their pay. All I was trying to say was those are good paying jobs which are scarce around my neck of the woods. With what Venetian was saying and by my calculations the pay in the Canadian oil fields is around $86k and $260k a year which is outstanding. Most people around here make under $20k a year on average if they can find work. Most people around here further would give their left nut to make that kind of coin above ground driving a truck. Working as a rigger or as a miner is different and more hazardous.

I am not dissing anybody including yourself. Every job has its degree of adversity. Including truckers and especially ice truckers. It is unfortunate that truck drivers have to resort to keeping two sets of books in order make a reasonable living. 60 hour week and driving on slippery or low visibility roads in snow for instance make it a tough way to go. I am retired now and look back over my work over the past 30 some years and wonder how I am still alive...

[Venetian]

Quote: "Similar to guys who got to Alaska and work on a fishing boat for 6 mo. or a year, big bucks for manual labor but dangerous hard work in horrible conditions. There's a reason they pay so much, they need to attract workers from other places willing to relocate and it's a tough job. I'm thinking the oil jobs mentioned here are similar. "


I would not say that working in the drilling industry here is that dangerous or the conditions that horrible. Safety is now the number one issue and all precautions are taken(mandated). The biggest drawback I believe for the younger guys starting out is being away from home and the social scene for 2 weeks at a time.

[onewhippedpuppy]

My brother in law drives a food delivery semi in the DFW area, he works 6 days 60+ hours per week and makes around $70k. Hard work, but not bad for a 23 year old with no post secondary education. He has excellent long term earning potential without doing over the road type trucking, full benefits, etc. They need good help so badly that they are covering CDL training for new drivers on their dime, one year employee commitment required. One of many reasons why I roll my eyes when people say there are no jobs available.