Massive Turnout for Site C Job Fair
Site C job seekers line-up to drop off their resumes – photos 250News
Prince George, B.C. – Hundreds of job seekers have turned out for today’s Site C job fair at the Coast Inn of the North.
Hosted by BC Hydro, spokesperson Bob Gammer says the turnout has surpassed expectations.
“We figured we’d probably get about 500 people or maybe a little more but we’ll easily pass that mark and we might even get close to a thousand before this day is over.”
(The same job fair drew 1,500 in Fort St. John and 1,000 in Dawson Creek over the weekend).
He says people are applying for a wide variety of jobs including carpenters, welders, drillers, blasters, heavy equipment operators and work site supervisors.
Those who show up are passing on their resumes and having a quick chat with the main civil works contractor for Site C, Peace River Hydro Partners.
“As you can appreciate, we’re not going to have a lot of time to review resumes. It’s gathering the resumes, basically giving a couple minutes,” says spokesman Jim Schilling.
“We need to get resumes into our HR bank so that when the construction team starts, the cupboard’s not bare.”
BC Hydro estimates the project will have an over eight year construction life span and provide jobs for 1,600 people at its peak.
That’s not to mention the need for security guards and for people who will be needed to man the worker accommodation camps.
Prince George resident Brock Robson is a first year industrial electrician and braved today’s lineup for a crack at one of those coveted positions.
“I’ve got four or five years of labour and shutdown experience that I’m looking to bring into play here,” he says.
“It’s been a rocky road since the last job a year ago. Showing up here, seeing the number of people in line is a little shocking, a little disappointing but it’s been rough looking for work everywhere.”
Shelley Fraser has four years experience as a heavy equipment operator. She says a job at Site C would offer her some much needed security.
“It would be nice to get on something like this. A 10 year project, steady work. I’ve been out of work two months now.”
Today’s job fair is one of eight BC Hydro will be hosting. It runs until 7 p.m. tonight. The next one is scheduled for tomorrow in Quesnel.
Comments
So if they get 1000 resume’s to-day, along with the 3000 they have already collected in other area’s we are looking at approx. 4000 people applying for 1600 jobs.
I think the real story here is that there are that many people looking for work. Some may already have jobs, however it looks like most do not. If so then we have a serious unemployed problem in North Central BC. Considering all the closures of mines, mills, etc; in the past few years this is not surprising.
I still say we should build a couple of LNG Plants in BC for personal electricity use, and do some serious infrastructure work between Cache Creek, Ft St John, and Prince Rupert. This would get people working right away, and eliminate the need for Site C.
We need to get this show on the road, and look after BC workers first, and to hell with waiting for International companies, to suck us dry of our resources, and then chuck us aside like a popped balloon.
The LNG ship has sailed. The need for Site C is merely to create jobs to get the Liberals re-elected. If they had any brains, they would dump Site C, save the Peace River Valley, and get back on track with creating jobs in BC for the people of BC.
If Site C isn’t needed now it will be in the future when we start plugging in our electric cars and locomotives. You are right about the unemployment picture . It will only get worse if oil prices don’t go up. Income tax doesn’t get paid if the money doesn’t get made.
You have that right oldcoot. I think the provincial gov. has been doing a hell of a job to promote high tax paying private sector jobs in BC. Somebody has to kick in to pay the bloated salaries and benefit packages accruing to the taxpayer funded institutions in BC.
4000 people applying for 1600 construction jobs is a lot? Check out Ont. or Quebec for applicants to new pipeline spreads…$20 bucks an hour + OT beats $9.50 at Walmart.
Hire BC people for BC hydro in BC!!!!!! We obviously have enough people
I would agree with hiring BC workers only but that would make me a hypocrite as I spent the last 6 months that I worked in Alberta. I don’t think the average person that works a 9-5 has any idea how many British Columbians were working in Alberta until last year.
The real pain will start as EI claims start to run out. I will be fine . I would prefer working for $40+ an hour but am not above working for less.
Couldn’t make the face to face, so I sent my resume via email.
The number of B.C. people who worked in Alberta is irrelevant. This project is being paid for by us, the B.C. taxpayer. Just as any public funded project in Alberta or anywhere else, should go to the people who will fill the tax coffers to pay for it.
I can’t understand why this government in general, and Bill Bennett in particular, don’t understand that. Why wouldn’t they want the taxes from the workers to go to his government instead of elsewhere?
When EI claims start to run out, as they probably are now for those who worked at Endako Mines, or the coal mines in Tumbler Ridge, things could get a little testy.
We might wish that the Liberal Paul Martin had left the 43 Billion he took out of the EI fund and transferred to general revenue, so that people would think he was a genius and balanced the budget. If the present trend continues the Liberals will wish they had that money. Now they will have to increase EI contributions, reduce payments, or fund EI with tax dollars. If they do the latter, then up go our taxes.
With Trudeau on a spending spree causing the national debt to skyrocket these jobs will be needed to pay the rising income tax.
These job fairs are nothing more than a political exercise making you think the the golden egg is just around the corner. What is the point of being there if you are told to email your resume in after you stand for 3 hrs. in a lineup. If you can not talk face to face with a contractor who is looking for someone it is pointless. Did we not have these same job fairs with LNG?
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