Hi all, I'm trying to get my head around something so maybe you lot can help.

Ok so, they say its big money in Fort McMurray BUT I am assuming that for instance on a 2 week in and 2 week out shift you wouldn't get paid for the 2 week's out! On my reckoning if you get paid $50 per hour for 2 weeks and nothing for the next two weeks that would average out at $25 per hour.

So I'm thinking it's not that big money after all. There are jobs all over Calgary at $25 per hour or am I wrong?

No idea on the money, but I'd strongly suggest you do a quick search of the forum for Fort McMurray to see what people think of it (hint: general consensus is that the money doesn't outweigh the fact that it's a horrendous place to live!).

Thanks Christmas, I did a search on it and read some views and if what i'm thinking is correct then I can't see it being worth it but if the money is as big as they say it is then I reckon it's worth doing on a temporary basis to get a step up.

My neighbor works on the rigs, he is I think a rig foreman and has 12 rigs hes in charge of.
He is 30 years old, has just bougght a $340,000 has, just bought this week end a brand new Dodge Ram Laremie turbo diesel truck $70,000 his commute is 850 miles then a 2 hour flight , he works 3 weeks on 1 off at the moment he earns big money.

It certainly seems tempting. My hubby is a Heavy Equipment Technician and we are looking at him working in Fort Mac and me living in Calgary. Just not sure if its worth it or if he could earn as much working in Calgary and being home each night.

Unlikely, if this were the case, there would not be many working at Fort Mc.

True.....hey Aviator you could maybe answer a question for me. My daughters BF is an Aircraft maintenance planner in the UK, is there demand for that over there?

Give these guys a call http://www.goderichaircraft.com/Care...%20Planner.php

Thank you

As far as I'm aware though it is fairly normal for massive amounts of overtime to top up the basic wage......Apparently a lot of places have living/food allowances as well to top up the salary.

Tim

I live and work in Fort Mac. I'm a heavy equipment tech as well and the money up here is nothing like what you would earn in Calgary. With the shift work as well, you only are really working 6 months a year, and then you have vacation on top of that. I work a 7 on and 7 off shift which is a good shift to have, although if we end up moving out of town I will be looking for a 14 on 14 off shift as it is better for commuters.
The town itself isn't that bad. We live up in Thickwood which is on top of a hill across the river from downtown. It is just a normal residential area. There are areas downtown that look a bit rough but overall it is what you make it.

Most work days in Fort Mac are at least 12 hours so 14 days for 12 hours is 168 hours times 12 months is 2,016 hours per year.

the key is that are doing your work hours in the two weeks you are at work, no days off and they can be VERY long days.

so most jobs down south are 40-42 hours per week so 2,080 to 2,184 per year.

So you do your work hours in a much shorter period of time so your days off are better.

For it to equate to half the pay you would have to work only half the hours for a full time job.

$50/hr is $50/hr for full time hours so is better pay than $25/hr for full time hours.

You have to factor in project shut downs and weather shut downs etc but there is the posibility to earn A LOT of money quickly and have great days off.

I work Northern BC/ Alberta on a three week in three week out rotation and love it.

PS I wouldn't live in Fort Crack for all the tea in China I live on Vancouver Island. Money goes much further away from fort Mac

Good old fashioned british snobbery at its best!!

Hi i've been looking into Fort McMurray for the same reasons as everybody else. I've applied under FSW Industrial Electrician and im currently in the Royal Air Force, I wanted to earn some big money while i'm still in the mindset of working away, crap hours, crap lifestyle etc. I'm planning on living on the island with my girlfriend (shes from Victoria). I wasn't sure on the possibility of doing this. 3 weeks on 3 weeks off sounds too good to be true, if I could get a job in my trade doing that i'd bite their hand off. The only work ive seen for electricians in Fort McMurray were full time 70 hour week, nothing about time off or rotating shifts. How do you travel to and from?

Living in Fort Mac - too right I can't keep up with the fast pace of life in Fort Mac
Much prefer the laid back Island

As for rotations you have to shop around as most guys will work three and one and have spring break up off and what ever else shut downs happen so its a make money when they can kinda attitude. Rotations depend on the job and how much money you want to make.

As for traveling out of Victoria I think there is a direct flight but there is def flights from Vic to Edmonton/Calgary then on to Fort Mac. Loads do it. Guys travel to Fort Mac from Nova Scotia and Newfoundland for work and fly home but they tend to have longer rotations


Good luck with the FSW and job hunting