Life after Oil, whats your plan when you are inevitably laid off?

snochuk

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There are still lots of jobs in Alberta and a lot that still pay very well. The easy show up cause the company needs a warm body job is gone and hopefully never returns. As management I get to see a lot of spoiled brats with sickening attitudes of all ages in the industrial sector - they are quickly getting weeded out.
Sad as it is a correction in economy is here, sadder some just starting out will take a chit kicking. I feel for these young families who did not get the opportunity to save up before the downturn - stressfull times ahead.
Education is still key and I try to constantly beat that into my kids heads - they are listening so far and vey aware of their choices. Re-education with the fast changing times will likely be in their futures as it will be for many.

I started out in the early 80s and it was tough but not hopeless - didn't do O&G until the mid 90s.
There is life outside of O&G - this is still fresh so lots have not discovered this yet but adjustments will be made and we Albertans will not likely be as flush as we used to be.
Those that have to leave O&G I wish you well and don't give up you may be surprised at the other opportunities.
Wifey does taxes for a living, the majority of people have never seen the crazy oil money and do just fine.

The whiny white Oakley crowd - well don't see me shedding a tear any time soon.

Those in O&G should be dam happy and appreciate what an exceptional life they get to provide for their families, I am.
 

firejp

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Movin' to Fort Mac...
Wife and I are empty nesters, so we have a lot of flexibility to pick up and move. Hopefully this proves to be a good place to be for the next 5 years, then I will be ready to pull out the tartan slippers, grow a pony tail and drink Bailey's in my coffee every morning.
I hope there is a ton of snow up there this winter.

Stony Mountain is pretty good for Fort mc
lots of groomed trails and off trail to do
 

Marley

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Not sure what is around the corner but everytime there is a downturn there seems to be an upturn coming - timing is everything though. Not in the O&G business myself but in electrical construction - we had work lined up that would have put us on easy street back in 2008 but 2 big high rise jobs got cancelled just as we were backing off other work and getting ready to do the 28 storey jobs (2 of them - all custom suites).
So we are now not on easy street but have been in business for close to 40 years and learned to do whatever work was going at the time. There are always people who will be doing better or worse than you. Thats the reality. Lower middle class in Canada is better than living almost anywhere else in the world.
 

LUCKY 7

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Finning laid off 40 good people in the last couple days in Sparwood. Anyone looking for cat trained mechanics???
 

moyiesledhead

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Finning laid off 40 good people in the last couple days in Sparwood. Anyone looking for cat trained mechanics???

Cummins just got approval to hire one mechanic. Don't think they've filled it yet. Won't do the other 39 much good though.
 
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