The oil sands continue to provide job opportunities for those in the construction and engineering industries, with URS Flint boasting some 7,000 employees in Alberta alone.
The company is looking to hire 2,000 more employees over the next 90 days.
“We need to spread the word that there is lots of work for people with skills in construction including those without experience in oil and gas,” said URS Flint director of recruitment and workforce planning Heather McKeown.
The jobs come at an opportune time for the industry, which is doing relatively well compared to the U.S. and other developed nations but is subject to fluctuations. The company is looking to hire qualified welders, electricians, mechanics, crane operators, labourers, pipefitters, quality inspectors, dispatchers, scaffolders and project managers.
“We are on-boarding as we find people to staff projects that are currently underway,” McKeown said. “Offer letters are specific to a project but we hire with the intention of transferring talented people between projects. We have a sizeable backlog of projects and we continue to secure new work.”
URS Flint is holding career fairs across Alberta to help fill the staffing void. Tradespeople can apply and be interviewed in person at the fairs, and applicants can also be interviewed through video conferences.
The company is continuing the recent trend that has seen much of the labour force working in Alberta, particularly in the resource sector. According to StatsCan, unemployment in Alberta sat at 5.1 per cent in April. In many urban centres, the rate nearly doubled that.
With work abundant in Alberta, the company is looking to reach out to workers in other provinces with work shortages. URS Flint covers travel expenses, room and board.
“Any type of construction experience including industrial and commercial is transferrable to our industry,” said Shawn Jubinville, URS Flint director of oilsands operations.
In addition to travel expenses, accommodations and meals, URS Flint is looking to add other perks to entice workers to come work in Alberta. Hourly workers receive benefits similar to salaried employees, and the company is aiming to make the experience as enjoyable as possible, a necessity when pulling workers away from their families. On-site amenities include a gym and recreation facilities.
“It’s like living in a five-star hotel and the food is perfect,” said Flint Infrastructure Services iron worker Anthony Mitchell, who is working for the company along with his son, Brian. “They don’t have cooks here, these guys are chefs.”
The company is encouraging tradespeople to visit their website (www.flintenergy.com) or contact them at 1-866-463-5468.
