Canada's high school grads making more than U.S. college grads

While many young people in the U.S. struggle to find jobs because they don’t have a college education, Canada’s high school grads are taking jobs in the oil industry making more money than America’s college grads. “Albertans in the Petroleum, Gas and Chemical Process Operators occupational group working part-time or full-time earned from $35,400 to $115,000 a year.The average salary is $77,900 a year for oil pipeline operators and maintenance workers, jobs that only require a high school education.

While Canada’s youth are flocking to the oil industry jobs in Alberta, the rest of Canada is having difficulty filling jobs in the service sector. Supermarkets are holding job fairs and fast-food restaurants are paying almost $15 (approx $13 USD) for cashiers and general help. They’re also desperate to find supervisors. It seems everyone is heading “west” for the big money jobs.

Besides, causing a shortage of workers to fill open service positions in Canada, the oil industry jobs, are worrying Canadian parents. Many young people are choosing to work for the oil industry, rather than pursue a college education.  Parents worry how the decisions their kids are making now will affect their futures. What Canada’s young people don’t often realize is that if they pursued their education first, they could make even more money in their country’s oil industry.

Truckers are also in short supply in Moncton, New Brunswick, according to Vaughn Sturgeon, chairman of the Atlantic Provinces Trucking Association. He says, “Almost every trucking company I know of in Atlantic Canada is looking for drivers and can’t find them.” Everyone, it seems, has jumped on the wagon train headed west.

Now, when I think about Canada, I think about bone chilling cold. I think about that tv show “ice truckers”. I think about “ice festivals”. I think about snow and lots of it. Maybe someday, global warming will make the climate moderate enough for me, but for now, I think I’ll stay right here south of the Canadian border. But, then again, I can understand why Canada’s youth might be tempted to take the big money being offered by the oil industry. If you’re used to living in a cold climate already, moving to Alberta is a non issue. And skipping 2 to 4 years of college, when you can make more than many college grads now, is a  non issue for many young Canadians too.

Now, if we could only outsource some American teenagers to take those service jobs that Canada needs so badly to fill. Actually, Canada is talking to Mexico about filling some of the jobs they can’t seem to get filled. Ah, hello Canada? What about the U.S.? There are many in the U.S. who can fill those jobs! Give us a call. :)