welding in fort mcmurray

[Etonic]

Hey, im 17 years old and after highschool i was looking to move out west to fort mcmurray, i was just wonder what the staring wage, the benefits and what living costs are, i've already started my apprenticeship through OYAP, by the end of my co-op i will have about 500 hours. I was planning on staying there for 2-5 years. Any help is appreticated.

[Rhinox]

welding in fort mcmurray

here is my advise,

get either your journeyman ticket and/or your redseal!

without it ? you have better chances to get a good job in edmonton or some places like that!

the good jobs require you to be journeyman!
if you got your b pressure ...a plus but still need your redseal ..to get good coins any how!

cheers

[cruizer]

Holly,,, you might be a welders helper on a camp job if you can pass a piss test. NOTHING ELSE . Maybe then apprentice to become a welder. Best do ALOT of research as no one will hire you, as you have zero qualifications. This is Alberta, you can't just roll out of bed one day and say, hmmm, I think I'll be a welder, that doesn't work here.....

[Etonic]

Another question, to become fully certified do i need to go to school as well as an apprentice? Or just an apprenticeship? I've looked around for what i need to do but cant find an answer

[Etonic]

here is my advise,get either your journeyman ticket and/or your redseal!without it ? you have better chances to get a good job in edmonton or some places like that!the good jobs require you to be journeyman!if you got your b pressure ...a plus but still need your redseal ..to get good coins any how!cheers

Hanks, my original plan was to go to alberta andstart my apprenticship there, but i'll look into getting certified first

[cruizer]

You have to Apprentise then go to school for 3 months, for 4 years, then write for your journeyman, then write for your Red seal. There are no easy answers.

Realistially, at your age, I'd foego the welding, and take a heavy equipment course. Extremely high demand, and pay is better than welding. Plus your not freezing your azz off in the winter, nor baking in saftey coveralls in the summer.

[Rhinox]

welding in fort mcmurray

heavy equipments electricians and welders are in high demand in the mak! for what it is about freezing your butt..... i work out there as a welder and any trades freeze there ***.... tho welding is sure harder on your body!!!! now depending on what you wanna do out there ...if you decide "one day " to go on your own..welding is the way to go out there!!$$$$
cheaper for set up rig and all... in the big schemathing all trades are in demand......

you got long ways to go !

one thing i could recommend you ..which is doable is start up as a labour for the big oilsand companies(direct hire) and work your way up!

some offer apprenticeship....

its also about who u know!!

good luck

[cruizer]

Guess I got used to sitting in a heated or air conditioned cab for a while. Every job is boring, but being a welder is tough on your body, pay, well, unless you have alot of write offs, alot of it goes to taxes, insurance, expenses, ect ect. and being away from home if you have a family and kids. I wouldn't want that life, and even as a welder tech is not something I initially went to school for. My goal was to be in the Caribbean fixing aircraft. Something went horribly wrong there.....

[cruizer]

Its not going to last in McMurray anyways, everything in 3-4 years will shift to Sask....

[Tryagn5]

hes right...

You have to Apprentise then go to school for 3 months, for 4 years, then write for your journeyman, then write for your Red seal. There are no easy answers.

Realistially, at your age, I'd foego the welding, and take a heavy equipment course. Extremely high demand, and pay is better than welding. Plus your not freezing your azz off in the winter, nor baking in saftey coveralls in the summer.

Im a local 150 master mechanic, i make more than the 597 pipefitters...ie welders. However we still work in the winter. Who do u think starts the machinery when its sub zero? My advice would be to find a heavy equipment dealership and work to get a job in the shop. Start sweeping the floors and stick around, let them kniw you want to be a mechanic. We are in high demand, just dont waste your money on a tech school, you will end up in the same place you are now.
Kevin

[Rhinox]

welding in fort mcmurray

how much you get paid in the 150 master mechanic? if you dont mind me asking...
just for reference..

[Tryagn5]

how much you get paid in the 150 master mechanic? if you dont mind me asking...
just for reference..

Not going to answer that question in an open forum, and i suggest you worry about getting into a shop first. If you start with pay right away its not likely you will get hired, getting your foot in the door is your first step. I make very good money, i work 50 weeks a year, and an average week is 50 plus hours with many 60-70 hrs weeks mixed in. My local is out northern illinois, we incompass 3 states. I really cant stress enough how important it is to be willing to take a job first with pay not being an issue, if you go into a dealership and dont have a work first attitude you will not get hired.

[snoeproe]

There is some misleading information being given out in this thread.
I'm a union structural welder and I have been working in the Ft Mac oil sands for some time now. There is a lot of work available. Get your red seal journeyman ticket first. Then you need the B pressure ticket if you want to weld pressure pipe or your CWB ticket if you want to weld structural. A Union B pressure welder only makes a couple dollars per hour more then a CWB structural welder. There is more stress welding pipe. Must pass X-ray etc.
A welding apprenticeship is only a 3 yr apprenticeship. Not a 4 yr apprenticeship.
The cost of living in Ft Mac is insane. A mobile trailer home will cost you $400 000. A nice split level home in the new part of town will set you back 1 million. I couldn't afford to live there myself. Nor would I want to. I stick to the camp jobs with flights.
No heavy equipment operator is making more $ than a welder in the union construction industry. If you work directly for one of the big oil companies then yes, you will bring in more money.
The union electrician welders are the highest paid welders in the construction industry. They also have the easiest job, welding unistrut, Chanel for cable tray hangers, ground tabs on piles etc. They have CWB ticket

[Etonic]

Thanks for all the advice, i defiently still want to be a welder, i guess i need to look in to getting my redseal and a few other certificates before i move out west. I love operating heavy machinery, but i think i'd get bored way to fast to make a career of it. I'll just worry about coop and getting into college for now

[cruizer]

Sorry, 3 years plus apprentiship, , think I'd know that. Must be the Alzhiemers kicking in. I make $55/hr running a Excavator in the summer, thats why I suggested it. Yes it is boring, only can spin around so many times before you want to go insane money or not.