Fort Mac - suitable for myself?

[Dumbass17]

Hey guys,
So I'm currently in a position of complete downtime at my current job. I like the company and people I work with, however, I feel like maybe I should look into going to Fort Mac to make some actual dollars. I'm "single" with no house or any major commitments/ties here. I am starting to think I should say screw Calgary and get a job where I can make alot of money even if the living/social situation isn't 'ideal'. I've worked on the rigs in the past and all that stuff so I can deal with that lifestyle.
Does anyone know of any fields/paths/careers that I could start looking into?
I have a diploma in civil engineering technology from SAIT.
I have
2 years of structural drafting experience (petro chemical facilities)
4 months structural drafting experience (residential buildings)
1 year of pre-cast bridge inspection
3 years civil drafting (variety of residential developments mainly)
6 months of field work/site rep/engineer of record (inspections, reports, little bit of project management)

I can't perform alot of outdoor/manual labour type tasks as I have a very bad shoulder and well, can't really lift much of anything. So the job I can do would be something like supervisory or computer/office related.

Any suggestions? :dunno:

[Neil4Speed]

Its really hard to say without having an idea of the position, or the pay differential that might come with going up to Ft.Mac. I know some professionals go up and get a pretty minimal premium (but with the incentive of great experience, and low/no living costs when away). You have to make that call if its worth being potentially miserable for some great years of your life.

[ercchry]

i think its more of a question of WHAT he should be applying to than anything else... just based off what i know about the industry he is coming from i'd say any job that will work for him up there will have a base salary equal to his overall yearly compensation... so any day rates/overtime or per diems would be he increase in income

there are a lot of operator type positions up there that have you hanging out on a computer indoors for 12 hrs a day... from what i've heard expect anything from $100k-$130k total compensation to start.

[mrsingh]

What about Project Coordination / Engineering, Project Controls, SCM?

[HiTempguy1]

Originally posted by Dumbass17

2 years of structural drafting experience (petro chemical facilities)
4 months structural drafting experience (residential buildings)

Uh, yea. Go onto monster or workopolis, there are hundreds of jobs currently looking for people exactly like yourself. And you will definitely earn more (minimum 20% more) while up there.

[My_name_is_Rob]

While I dont actually have any useful information as to what kind of job to look for, a couple of guys I used to go to school with are working up there as Civil Eng Techs.

I personally didnt mind working up there, but I think the trick is to be active outside of work hours if possible. They do actually have a lot of community support for activities and what not. :dunno:

[Dumbass17]

Originally posted by mrsingh
What about Project Coordination / Engineering, Project Controls, SCM?
any company suggestions or where to start?


Originally posted by HiTempguy1


Uh, yea. Go onto monster or workopolis, there are hundreds of jobs currently looking for people exactly like yourself. And you will definitely earn more (minimum 20% more) while up there.

really?
I didn't think there were heaps of drafters needed IN fort mac.. I've actually never heard of a drafty being up there...


Originally posted by My_name_is_Rob
While I dont actually have any useful information as to what kind of job to look for, a couple of guys I used to go to school with are working up there as Civil Eng Techs.

I personally didnt mind working up there, but I think the trick is to be active outside of work hours if possible. They do actually have a lot of community support for activities and what not. :dunno:
Yeah I'm not too worried about that. I'm a homebody in winter usually and my sister and good buddy work up there lots too so could hang out with them.
Any idea who your buddies work for?

[Darkane]

Originally posted by ercchry
i think its more of a question of WHAT he should be applying to than anything else... just based off what i know about the industry he is coming from i'd say any job that will work for him up there will have a base salary equal to his overall yearly compensation... so any day rates/overtime or per diems would be he increase in income

there are a lot of operator type positions up there that have you hanging out on a computer indoors for 12 hrs a day... from what i've heard expect anything from $100k-$130k total compensation to start.

Lol. Those control room positions are for senior power engineers.

Start at around 200k.

[CapnCrunch]

Originally posted by Dumbass17
Hey guys,
So I'm currently in a position of complete downtime at my current job. I like the company and people I work with, however, I feel like maybe I should look into going to Fort Mac to make some actual dollars. I'm "single" with no house or any major commitments/ties here. I am starting to think I should say screw Calgary and get a job where I can make alot of money even if the living/social situation isn't 'ideal'. I've worked on the rigs in the past and all that stuff so I can deal with that lifestyle.
Does anyone know of any fields/paths/careers that I could start looking into?
I have a diploma in civil engineering technology from SAIT.
I have
2 years of structural drafting experience (petro chemical facilities)
4 months structural drafting experience (residential buildings)
1 year of pre-cast bridge inspection
3 years civil drafting (variety of residential developments mainly)
6 months of field work/site rep/engineer of record (inspections, reports, little bit of project management)

I can't perform alot of outdoor/manual labour type tasks as I have a very bad shoulder and well, can't really lift much of anything. So the job I can do would be something like supervisory or computer/office related.

Any suggestions? :dunno:

Why don't you apply at a few EPC's in Calgary for civil or structural design? 5 or 6 years of Civil/structural drafting should get you pretty close to 6 figures.

[Dumbass17]

Originally posted by CapnCrunch


Why don't you apply at a few EPC's in Calgary for civil or structural design? 5 or 6 years of Civil/structural drafting should get you pretty close to 6 figures.
yeah not really any experience in DESIGN so much as DRAFTING. Which kind of sucks. It happens when you get bored easily, new job > bored after a year > quit > new job > bored again > quit..repeat. hard to gain experience.

I have worked at a few EPC companies in Calgary now, but am looking at FMM right

[My_name_is_Rob]

Originally posted by Dumbass17


Any idea who your buddies work for?

I don't sorry. They each work for Geotechnical companies, but I dont know the names. :dunno:

[ercchry]

Originally posted by Darkane


Lol. Those control room positions are for senior power engineers.

Start at around 200k.


There are other roles too... mostly service companies, have a few buddies that have indoors, minimal labour (as in just helping with setup and tear down) operator jobs either fresh out of school or with no schooling... well, now they have some schooling. did their 4th class power eng over winter this year

[bjstare]

Originally posted by Dumbass17

yeah not really any experience in DESIGN so much as DRAFTING. Which kind of sucks. It happens when you get bored easily, new job > bored after a year > quit > new job > bored again > quit..repeat. hard to gain experience.

I have worked at a few EPC companies in Calgary now, but am looking at FMM right

Next time you get bored, don't quit. Ask for more/different work. Don't be afraid to tell them you're bored/not as happy as you could be. If you're good, they'll give you a shot at something else/more responsibility.

[Dumbass17]

Originally posted by cjblair


Next time you get bored, don't quit. Ask for more/different work. Don't be afraid to tell them you're bored/not as happy as you could be. If you're good, they'll give you a shot at something else/more responsibility.
Oh, it's not like a week where I'm bored. It will be a month or two of doing pretty much nothing and asking for work but there just aren't any projects on the go.

[ercchry]

Originally posted by Dumbass17

Oh, it's not like a week where I'm bored. It will be a month or two of doing pretty much nothing and asking for work but there just aren't any projects on the go.

got to get in with a manufacture... when the client projects slow down thats when you actually get to have some fun, design/drafting R&D things

[dirtsniffer]

I work for a manufacturer here in town. We are looking a mechanical designer draft person. You wouldn't be bored. Lots of work

[mrsingh]

Originally posted by Dumbass17

any company suggestions or where to start?


Off the top of my head:

AMEC, Jacobs, CH2M Hilll, Fluor, URS Flint, KBR, as well as other smaller contractors. If companies have maintenance contracts they often need people up in those sorts of positions. You would likely start in a junior sort of role, but between uplifts, OT and all that you will be making six figures.

[Darkane]

Originally posted by ercchry



There are other roles too... mostly service companies, have a few buddies that have indoors, minimal labour (as in just helping with setup and tear down) operator jobs either fresh out of school or with no schooling... well, now they have some schooling. did their 4th class power eng over winter this year

Why did they need their fourth for service companies? And what are they operating? Anybody with a ticket out here works In plants.

Wierd.

[Gman.45]

While I was working a schedule of 3 months in 3 out in the middle east, my girlfriend decided to move up to Ft Mac for the same reasons as you OP. She took an office job and worked as a bartender as well at a couple of the clubs there as casual/part time work. I stayed up there with her on my 3 months back in country, this was in the midish 2000's, around 2006 to 2008 or so.

It's all what you make of it, so far as the town goes.

OP, feel free to PM me - If you're looking for easy "supervisory" type work as you put it, I can put you in contact with a friend of mine up there who is a manager with NUS/Canadian Dewatering. It's an easy contracting job, just monitoring pumps moving water around at Suncor, the closest and easiest to get to site out there. 12 hour days 6 on 6 off, mostly sitting in a truck just watching - it can be pretty boring. You can be a shift manager within 3 months as well. It's super easy work, the easiest up there, and a foot in the door. You're overqualified, but again, you can start next week if you like pretty much. Once you get settled and decide if you like it up there, you can easily find work in your field of experience and education.

[Supa Dexta]

lol.. Update us with how many pm's you get after offering one specific guy a job on here.