I'm home in Michigan, on break right now, from the ND oil patch. Right now I am with Baker Hughes, working as an Equipment Operator, my pay has taken a bit of a hit, but the bennies make up for it. Starting pay is roughly $23 and hour. They pay for housing (Private rooms at places like The Quality Inn, Ramada, Microtel, Best Western, etc.), travel to and from the house (full airline cost reimbursement or .50 a mile if you drive), immediate benefits, Blue Cross Blue Shield, eye, dental, 401k, stock options, etc., upon completion of two week orientation (which I was paid $2200 net to attend). They give you all clothing, winter gear, etc., including prescription safety glasses, you need to buy your own steel toed boots and long underwear.
If you have a wife, kids and or pets, bring them along, as they (Baker Hughes) will house them at no charge along with you. I have a few buddies that I work with that have the wife and kids with them right now. They put the kids in school, and mom goes out and grabs a part time job that normally pays around $14 an hour if not more. We are located in Dickinson ND, plenty of work. McDonalds and Walmart pay around $14 an hour to start. If the wife has other skills, she can make more, especially in nursing.
Here is a link to check out, it is from Mile High Employment out of Denver,
CDL-A Drivers and Diesel Mechanics Job Fair in Minneapolis, Minnesota | Mile High Energy Solutions
Here is the Craigslist link
JOB FAIR Minnesota for North Dakota oilfield(65-75K first year)
I have two of my friends heading up there, if you are clean you will be hired. We need 500 more people. And we are opening a new terminal come spring time. Things are kind of goofy right now, but we are in a small yard and have more work than you can shake a stick at. In other words, we are growing to fast right now, so not all is rosey right now but should be getting better come spring.
If you are not interested in Baker Hughes, the main issue for you guys will be housing, as there is little of it. Many outfits charge you up to $700+ a month for what many of us would consider third world accommodations and have issues getting you paid. In other words, do your own due diligence! There are many good outfits here in ND, but we have our share of fly by nights that have no problem in stealing from you. If you come up here to work for a legitimate employer, and were recruited from out of state, you should not have to pay for housing! It has never been like that in the oil patch, as companies have historically paid for housing at the minimum, be they man camps or group housing.
Here are some links to check out....
Check out this video too. It is from Cramer of CNBC's Mad Money, he did this show this past August. He did a great job describing what is actually going on up here in ND.
Mad Money, August 24, 2011 - CNBC
A local paper out of Williston ND
Classifieds - The Shopper, Inc. - Williston, North Dakota
If you want to talk, just pm me your phone number and I will give you a call on my dime. I have been in ND since April of this year.
Mike
ON EDIT! if you do not have your CDL Baker Hughes will send you to Denver to obtain one and PAY YOU to attend the CDL school! At no cost to you! So if you know of someone that can work for 30 plus hours straight, and they don't have a CDL, we will get them everything they need!
This is not a job for sissies! I'm 46 years old and hanging in there.
The truth about these new oil field jobs.
At 54.....It is a lot harder than it was at 21!! I'm just happy as crap that I didn't try the "Well Services" again!! No iron laying for me!! :thumbsup:
