Large turnout for Oil and Gas Job Fair

Chris Davis, Pincher Creek Voice

The Pincher Creek Oil and Gas Fair ran Friday and Saturday last week at the Heritage Inn.  Hundreds of hopeful applicants and people seeking more information about potential jobs in the Fort McMurray region attended over the two days of the event.  Some expressed disappointment that there was only one booth accepting actual applications, with the other booths providing information.  However, the event seemed to be a big success overall.  One thing was very evident; there are a lot of people out there ready and willing to go to work, even if it's hard work.

Mayor Ernie Olsen
C. Davis photos

Pincher Creek Mayor Ernie Olsen kicked off the event at an information breakfast on Friday morning, September 21.  "Hopefully what happens with this leads up to the Pincher Creek Airport being used, that's one of our goals," he said. "We have the third longest runway in Alberta in Pincher Creek.  We can land a 747."  He said another major positive would be that "Families can be together,"  explaining that the plan to fly people to and from the projected jobsites from the Pincher Creek Municipal Airport would allow working parents more time with their families, and a safer way to access the higher-paying jobs that the oil and gas industries represent.  "At least they're not driving the highway system (this way)," he said.

Peter Leclaire,
Lethbridge College

"Portability of labour is going to be going to be very important for our province, and for that matter, our country," said Lethbridge College Interim President and CEO Peter Leclaire.  "We have campuses in a variety of communities, Pincher Creek being one of them.  We have the capacity to assist, to being an advocate for change."

Jim Swag,
Piikani Employment Services

Piikani Employment Services Manager Jim Swag said the Piikani Nation could benefit greatly from the project.  He said the Piikani Nation had a membership of 3500 people, 2200 of which live on the reserve.  "Of the 2200 that live on the reserve 45% are unemployed.  We welcome the opportunity for the jobs that are available up north to train our people and employ them.  The push from the government side is to decrease dependence on income support.  This is not an overnight thing."

There were a lot of faces from the Piikani, Kainai, and Siksika faces in the crowd of applicants.

"We have a lot of individuals who have been trained it the oil and gas industry," Swag said. "We've got to get our young people employed."

Alberta Human Services Regional Director Noelle Becker said her office plays "a central role in connecting people to career and employment information and linking local businesses to a skilled work force."

"We are committed to pro-active (efforts) to connect workers to jobs, and jobs to workers," Becker said. "Over the last year, we have helped over 9000 job seekers connect with over 350 employers."

Our (Alberta's) unemployment rate is much lower than in the rest of Canada, and we anticipate a return to a very tight labour market.  More than ever, we need to insure that we are maximizing Alberta's available work force, while developing innovative solutions to Alberta's workforce needs."

Bev Thornton,
Alberta SouthWest

Alberta SouthWest Regional Alliance Director Bev Thornton said Alberta SouthWest was designed to provide "a context for all the things our communities do."  It represents 15 rural communities with a total population of about 34,000 people.

"We see our role as creating a context for balanced growth to occur. Regional responsibility is to promote the region, so people even know that we are here, because no-one is going to invest in the region, move to the region, unless they are aware of us."

"People are attracted to this region for the quality of life, recreation, all the things that they can do here," Thornton continued.  "If we have people who can work, where they can make money, to support their families and live, in probably the most wonderful place on the whole planet, I think we've got a winning combination."

I asked Mayor Olsen where he planned to take the idea after the job fair was concluded. "If it's as successful as I am hoping it will be in the next couple of days, my plan is to Fort McMurray, and spend a couple of days up there. One of the reasons that I did this was to get some people to move to the area, rather than spending 3 months up there, and going back home."

"Our goal is to keep families together of course, promote Pincher Creek, and use that airport," he reiterated.  Mayor Olsen said the he and the Town of Pincher Creek started working on the idea about a year and a half ago.


Robin Dowden is the Business and Industry Liaison for the Fort McMurray Government of Alberta Works Centre.  Her presentation during both days of the job fair was designed to provide information about the region and the types of jobs available there, and the kinds of accommodations, services, and expectations workers could anticipate.

According to Dowden, current in-demand skills include:

• Heavy duty equipment mechanics
• Instrumentation technicians
• Oils and gas well drillers, servicers, testers, and related workers, operators, and labourers
• Operators - Steam and Non-steam Ticket
• Truck Drivers

"These are jobs we already have shortages in," Dowson explained.  "We don't have enough skilled labourers.  We have a lot of people who are willing to work, but they have never worked in this industry before.  I'm not saying there won't be an opportunity for you but it can be tough to break into the market, for sure."

She also said there was a steady demand for workers in the service and other industries in the area.

Of the economic impact of the oil sands she said "What is coming from the oil sands is so important to our Canadian economy.  Oil sands development will generate at least 483.5 billion dollars in royalty and taxes, so they are very important to the Canadian economy. Across Canada, more than 456,000 jobs are directly or indirectly linked to the construction and operations of oil sands facilities.  As we have become industrialized, and more countries in the world have become industrialized, there is more need for Canada's fuel source."


Town of Pincher Creek Development Officer Wendy Kalkan was very pleased with the turnout at the event.  "It was awesome.  We broke all expectations," she said in a rare free moment.  "I think it's been wonderful," said Town CAO Laurie Wilgosh.  "I really appreciate the turnout and all the companies that have come to talk to everybody."

Shelly with the Lethbridge College at the Pincher Creek Campus said "Most of the people who have been stopping by have been asking about some of our pre-trade programs, because it seems like a lot of these  employers are looking for at least some pre-trade training."

"It was incredible," said Mayor Ernie Olsen as the first day wound down.  "Even the oil people that are here ran out of papers to pass out.  They couldn't believe the number of people that are here.  It's been phenomenal."

"We've got people from as far away as Nelson, BC here, we had two civil engineers from Ireland that were here, a lot of people from BC."  There were also people from as far east as Nova Scotia.

"It's so diverse," Olsen continued.  You're looking at 65 year-olds, down to 17, 18 years old, they're all coming, and they're still coming.  That's what I'm hoping to pass on to the oil companies that didn't show up today.  Let them know what they missed."

One of the more direct and immediate effects of the job fair was the low vacancy rates at local hotels and motels over the course of the weekend.

At their Monday evening, September 24 meeting the Council for the Town of Pincher Creek thanked their staff and organizer Jo-Ann Callbeck for the hard work they put into making the event happen.

Organizer Jo-Ann Callbeck
C. Davis photos

Related links:
Alberta Human Resources website
Alberta Human Resources on Facebook
Alberta Southwest
Fort McMurray Labour Market Information
Lethbridge College Pincher Creek campus