Broken Arrow will soon be getting 300 aviation jobs thanks to the expansion of aviation company Flight Safety, whose products include the manufacture of flight simulators. The city relies on the aviation employment currently offered by the company and has encouraged them to stay in Broken Arrow by offering a great incentive package totaling $6 million and introducing 300 more aviation jobs to the area.

Chamber of Commerce President, Wes Smithwick commented, “Flight Safety jobs pay almost double the state average wage and that’s a huge deal. That’s the kind of job that a lot of people want but few get to recruit to their area.” The expansion will be good for the total economy and it is hoped that the new 375 thousand foot facility will bring more big businesses, shops and restaurants to the area. It also means that Broken Arrow could be known as the flight simulator capital and according to Senator Jim Inhofe, “The fact that they have made the decision to have this huge facility nails it down that they are never going to leave; that they are ours forever.”

In total over 31 thousand aviation and aerospace jobs will be added during this year, as indicated in the 15th Workforce and Young Professionals Study released during Aviation Week. The President of Aviation Week, Greg Hamilton, “2011 marks a year of transition for the A&D industry. The end of the shuttle era and cutbacks in defense spending are taking place concurrently with a rapid commercial aerospace manufacturing ramp up. While total jobs will rise, significant numbers of high-skill engineering jobs will be at risk, and our aerospace-management customers remain challenged finding key technology-leadership skill sets. Conducting this substantive Workforce Study each year allows Aviation Week to provide essential and actionable analysis for industry executives, professionals, and students.”

To find out more about aviation jobs including airline jobs and airport jobs, visit Airline Job Finder today and become a member. You will find out what different types of aviation jobs there are, what qualifications you need to pursue them, how to apply for airline or airport jobs, and tips for interviews, among other things. There are over 180 pages of information about airline jobs that you can get if you become a member and with the Job Board you can search for the most current aviation job openings including air traffic controller jobs, pilot jobs, air hostess jobs, airport security jobs, aircraft maintenance jobs and more.

Fish processing is a huge business in Alaska and as such there are plenty of fish harvesting and fish processing jobs available – not only for locals, but for foreigners as well. In fact you are more likely to find people who speak Spanish, Russian, French, or Japanese working on the Alaskan fishing vessels. Many students come from all over the world to work in Alaska during their GAP year and love the outdoor work, travel experience and the chance to earn a great amount of money.

One student from Poland said that he paid a recruitment agency about $3000 to get him a job working at a fish processing plant at a company called Sno-pac. During the peak salmon season the working day is around 16 hours and he earned minimum wage, although meals and accommodation are paid for as well. Working in the fishing industry in Alaska can see that you will make your money back quite quickly. 

Those fish processing plant owners who have employed student workers from outside the country say that results have been positive. Some have gone as record as saying that these employees work hard and are interesting to be around.

The hiring of foreign students began in the 1990s when they ran out of local workers to hire. The J-1 visa program is what allows some types of employers in the states to hire non-US Citizens for jobs in America. As you might imagine some Alaskans are not as enthusiastic about the program because it could result in fewer Alaskans being hired. Regardless of your opinion on the matter, those coming from afar are getting a truly unique work experience in Alaska — and employers appear happy.

The majority of the fish processors are eager to come back season after season and hope to improve their skills, knowledge, life experience and earn plenty of extra cash to pay for studies, travel and to take back home.

To learn more about the various fishing jobs you can get in Alaska working as a processor or on the fishing vessels themselves, you should become a member of the Alaska Job Finder website. Here you will not only discover the skills and qualifications you need to possess to apply for any job in Alaska, but you will also find out what fishing jobs pay, where you can work, what hours are required and what the working conditions are like.

Aside from this you will also find out how to go about applying for fishing jobs and other employment in Alaska, and you will discover tips for writing your resume and going for interviews. There are over 180 pages of information that you can use to learn about the various fishing employment opportunities in Alaska including crabbing and you can also research all the other ways you can make money by working in Alaska.

According to the latest NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) Status of U.S. Fisheries Report, the Alaska fishing industry is on its way to being rebuilt. Senator Mark Begich, the Commerce Committee’s subcommittee on Oceans, Atmosphere, Fisheries and Coast Guard chairman, was pleased with the findings and praised the, today praised the Alaskan fishing industry and the North Pacific Fishery Management Council saying, “In Alaska, we do fisheries management right. The men and women of the fishing industry work closely with their representatives on the North Pacific Fishery Management Council to ensure that our fishery management is fair and is based on sound science. When we do that, the result is both a robust seafood industry that employs thousands of Alaskans and healthy, sustainable marine ecosystems.”

The NOAA reported, “Scientists announced today that in 2010, 84 percent of the stocks examined for fishing activity (213 of 253 stocks) were free from overfishing, or not fished at too high a level, and 77 percent of the stocks with known population levels (159 of 207 stocks) were above the overfished level, that level too low to provide the maximum sustainable yield.”

There are about 90 thousand Alaska fishing jobs currently and this is only expected to grow as the $7.4 billion economy slowly rises. Begich commented, “People around the world look to Alaska when they want to see an example of good fishery management. I am proud of our process and all of the people who make it work.”

While overfishing is not an issue according to the findings, it did show that 2 species where at lower than desired levels. The southern Bering Sea tanner crab and Pribilof Islands Blue King Crab are not at the correct population levels according to the NOAA report, but scientists have said that this is not due to overfishing or any incorrect fishing practices. In the case of the Blue Crab for instance, environmental factors are playing a role in the lower population.

They commented, “Although it is often assumed that a stock has a low population due to too much fishing, other factors influence the health and abundance of fish stocks, including environmental changes, disease, and habitat degradation. Scientists believe that one of the stocks added to the overfished list, the Tanner crab in Alaska, may have been affected by environmental factors.”

In the midst of the overfishing that has been reported in the media of late, Eric Schwaab, the NOAA assistant administrator for Fisheries Service said, “We are making great progress ending overfishing and rebuilding stocks around the nation. We are turning a corner as we see important fish stocks rebounding.”

Schwaab added, “Commercial and recreational fishing depend on healthy and abundant fish stocks and marine ecosystems to provide lasting jobs, food and recreational opportunities. By working with the nation’s eight regional management fishery councils and commercial and recreational fishermen, we are making steady progress each year to fully rebuild overfished stocks.”

Alaska is doing the best so far out of all the states trying to reduce overfishing, but there are still many areas where overfishing is taking place, like the Delta area of California for instance. Once the fishing industry is completely rebuilt this means many more fishing jobs for people on a full time and part time basis. According to the NOAA, “Fully rebuilt, U.S fisheries are expected to add $31 billion to the economy and an additional 500 thousand fishing jobs.”

If you want to be involved in getting fish processing jobs and fish harvesting jobs in Alaska, you should visit Alaska Job Finder.

The salmon season has started in some regions, but July is when the salmon season in Alaska gets underway completely, especially in regions 1, 2, 3, and 4, namely the Southeast Alaska region, Prince William Sound region and Kenai Peninsula region, Kodiak Island region, and the Alaska Peninsula and Aleutian Islands region.

The following are the main seasons for Alaska salmon fishing and the various Alaska fishing regions:

(June 1 – Sept. 30)
Region 1 – Summer Salmon Troll Season
(June 2 – Oct. 31)
Region 1 – Yakutat Set Net Salmon Season
(June 8 – Sept. 15)
Region 2 – Salmon Seasons (gillnet & purse seine)(dates may vary)
(June 8 – Sept. 30)
Region 1 – Salmon Gillnet Season
(June 10 – July 25)
Region 5 – Bristol Bay Sockeye Salmon Season
(June 10 – Aug. 20)
Region 4 – Salmon Seasons (dates may vary)
(Apr. 15 – June 30)
Region 1 – Spring King Salmon Troll Season
(May 14 – June 30)
Region 2 – Copper River King and Sockeye Salmon Season (dates may vary by a few days)
(June 19 – Sep. 4)
Region 1 – Salmon Purse Seine Season (one area does stay open into October for late fall chums)

The Fish and Game Department has also issued new rules for this season which includes the Anchor River being closed to sport fishing from the 15th to the 30th June 2011 in order to protect the returning King Salmon. A spokesperson said, “We are unable to predict with certainty that the sustainable escapement goal of king salmon would be met for 2011.” Currently the escapement of king salmon is 1,405 with the goal being 3,800 to 10,000 king salmon.

When opened, the best times for fishing are expected to be in the early morning hours with water conditions in the Anchor River, Deep Creek and Ninilchik Rivers being clear and low.

The Kenai Peninsula has been said to have plenty of salmon this season with the department of Fish and Game reporting the following:

“Trolling success for king salmon has been fair off Bluff Point and the south side of Kachemak Bay.
Fishing has been fair for early-run king salmon in the near shore salt waters of Deep Creek, Anchor Point, and Whiskey Gulch.
King salmon fishing at the Nick Dudiak Fishing Lagoon has been slow.
King salmon fishing is reported to be fair to slow in Halibut Cove Lagoon and Seldovia.”

It is recommend that fishermen use flashers and dodgers for attracting the king salmon with the most popular trolling set-ups being herring, spoons, tube flies and hootchies. If you are interested in finding a salmon fishing job in one of the Alaskan regions mentioned above, you should make sure that you know all these set ups and also find out as much as you can about the fishing industry in Alaska.

You can do this easily by visiting Alaska Job Finder and becoming a member, where you will have access to detailed information about fish harvesting jobs, fish processing jobs, crabbing jobs, and the fishing industry in Alaska in general. You will also have access to information about other jobs in Alaska including summer tourism jobs, Alaska oil pipeline jobs, and much more. This website provides you with the most exclusive information and advice you need to find a top job in Alaska and teaches you the best ways to apply for jobs.

With the salmon season just 2 weeks away, now is the ideal time to get fishing jobs in Alaska. Even though Chinook salmon are being harvested already, it is the King salmon and Red salmon that mark the start of the season as they enter the Copper River.

This season the forecast is for 1.2 million sockeye salmon with catches of kings being 9000 and cohos at 293.000. Even though this is forecast, fishermen are wary of getting their hopes up as last year’s prediction was well over what was actually caught. The catches last year were below the 10 year average, so it is hoped that things are looking up this year.

Last year the 171 salmon catch was valued at $534 million which is the best in 18 years despite the lower than predicted numbers. If the forecast this year is closer to the target of nearly 204 million salmon, it will be the 5th biggest salmon harvest ever.

The higher amounts are mainly due to the bigger than normal showing of pink salmon which is expected to be 25 % higher than last year, reaching a whopping 133 million. These pink salmon will be harvested in the Prince William Sound, Kodiak, and Southeast regions and will provide plenty of extra fish harvesting jobs.

The other catches that are expected to bring in a lot of money include the coho estimated at 4.6 million fish, sockeye at 45 million, and chums at 20 million. The King salmon should have an increasing showing due to the treaty with Canada regarding the amount that can be taken. In every fishing region last year, there were increased dock prices for salmon and it is hoped by the state and all the fishermen involved that this year will be even better.

The best thing you can do to get in on the huge catches that are imminent, is to apply for various salmon fishing jobs and fish processing jobs that are available in Alaska for the start of the season. You can learn more about the different kinds of fishing vessel jobs you can get by visiting Alaska Job Finder. Aside from fishing jobs, you can also find out about crabbing jobs, processing plant jobs, and many other similar industry career options that you have for the season.

You can also check out the job board regularly and apply for any of the Alaskan jobs that are posted, whether they are in the fishing industry, the tourism industry, the oil industry, and more. Alaska’s main economy, however, is its salmon, crab, and most other fishing industries, so it is lucrative to get involved in this side of things if you want to work in Alaska.

The Carlson Center in Fairbanks was the location of the Career Expo and Job Fair which attracted hundreds of job seekers from all over Fairbanks on Monday. Over 100 stalls were set up to offer information about career opportunities and to offer Alaska jobs. Some of the participants included the military, retail stores, construction companies, mining companies, university campuses, and those in the plumbing industry.

Alaska jobs have been improving over the last few months and the renewed confidence in the economy and employment sector has given people the encouragement to come and see what jobs are out there. Some came to the fair with a specific job in mind, like Eric Kitt, who filled out an application to work in the Pogo Mine.

Some were there to look for jobs in their field of study, like economics and finance graduate Devin McDowell who currently works at UPS and has had to find work in various unrelated fields just to make a living. He has been looking for a finance related career since his graduation in 2009, and said, “Occasionally, I get a little frustrated, as this is not exactly on the career path I wanted. In hindsight, I probably would have picked a different major.”

Another attendee, Lareena Goertz, was there to window shop for herself and her husband. They already have jobs, but are looking to switch careers. “I heard the job market’s picking up,” she said.

This was confirmed by the Alaska Department of Labor and Workforce, Teresa Quakenbush, who coordinated the Expo and Fair. According to her, the Alaska Labor Exchange System, which she updates, has in excess of 500 new jobs each week. “It’s better here. You can’t tell me there are no jobs. A lot of the time, people are looking for careers, but if they want a job, there are tons,” she said.

From business graduates, to economics majors, to miners, everyone who was interested in finding a job attended the Expo and Job Fair. If you are thinking of getting a job in Alaska, you can be sure to find something to your liking, and with such a beautiful setting, who could pass up the opportunity to relocate to Alaska?

If you want to learn more about the types of jobs in Alaska including those in the fishing and crabbing industry, tour guide and tourism industry, game and lodging industry, oil, and Alaska  gas pipeline industry you should visit the Alaska Job Finder website, and become a member. As a member you will have access to over 180 pages of information regarding Alaska employment, where to find jobs, how much pay you can expect, what benefits are offered, how long various jobs last and what seasons certain jobs are offered in, as well as working hours, working conditions and more.

You will also have access to tips and advice for filling out applications, posting your resume, attending interviews and searching for current Alaska job openings which are listed on the website. All you have to do to take advantage of the Alaska job opportunities offered is to join as a member which requires a nominal fee.

According to figures over the last few months, Alaska has an abundance of fish and this was the main topic of discussion at the United Fishermen of Alaska (UFA) session last Tuesday. Fishermen from various different companies and organizations as well as transporters, processors and promoters were there to showcase their various products and by the looks of things, the 2010 season has been one of the best so far with plenty of Alaska fishing jobs being produced.

In fact, Bristol Bay is one of the top regions where there are a great number of seafood harvesting jobs being 26 % or 3567 full time harvesting and processing jobs. Of these jobs about 275 permit holders and 687 crew members live in the vicinity of Anchorage. There are plenty of fish and therefore plenty of fishing job opportunities for locals and out-of-towners alike. The Bristol Bay Regional Seafood Marketing Association representative Bob Waldrop explained that if the entire wild sockeye salmon in Bristol Bay where laid out head to tail, it would spread over 14 thousand miles.

“It’s a magnificent abundance,” he said, “due to the very astute management of the Alaska Department of Fish and Game.”

The President of the UFA and Executive Director of the Crab Coalition, Arni Thompson said, “People just don’t get it – the fishing industry puts more people to work than oil and gas, mining, timber and tourism combined.”

Various presentations were held throughout the event and an assortment of wild seafood appetizers was served.

In a presentation by Naresh Shrestha from the Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute she said, “The seafood industry is Alaska’s largest private sector employer. People will buy what they understand, what they relate to. You have to bring a human face.”

Other presentations were given by Dale Kelley of the Alaska Trollers Association, Gary Fandrei of Cook Inlet Aquaculture Association, Rochelle van den Broeck of Cordova District Fishermen United, Greg Kessler of Ocean Totem Trailer Express, Ed Poulsen of Alaska Bering Sea Crabbers, Skip Winfree of 10th and M Seafoods in Anchorage, Glenn Reed of Pacific seafood Processors Association and Bruce Schactler of Kodiak, who said that because of the bounty, fishing is becoming somewhat of a year round industry in Kodiak.

The fishing industry is a place where anyone can find work and where the pay is also really high considering you don’t require a tertiary education. There are plenty of fishing jobs in Alaska as you can see, so why don’t you find out more about the various positions you can get by becoming a member of Alaska Job Finder.

This website will not only give you details into the fishing industry and what each job holds for you, it will also provide you with the resources to find any fishing job you require including crabbing, seafood harvesting, seafood processing and more. All you have to do is keep an eye on the Job Board for all the details, and then you can apply for a great fishing job in Alaska.

For all of you who love watching The Deadliest Catch on Discovery Channel, you will know that it is the advertised as being the most dangerous profession in the world – but is it? Recent studies by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) show that the Alaska Crab fishing industry in the Bering Sea is actually the 4th deadliest catch. The most dangerous business to be in is the commercial fishing industry with the most dangerous area being the Northeast Coast where fishermen fish for sole, cod, flounder and other ground fish. The second and third most dangerous jobs are the Atlantic scallop fishing industry and the West Coast Dungeness Crab fishing industry.

According to Dr Jennifer Lincoln who works for the CDC as an injury epidemiologist, the Northeast Coast fishing industry is considered to be the most dangerous because the crews are at sea for the longest period of time and they go out the furthest, meaning that in the event of an accident there are more lives at risk.

The Alaska fishing industry came under scrutiny in the 1990’s and undertook measures recommended by the CDC in order to prevent fatalities. The CDC only looked into other fishing areas from 2007 and found that there were many other problematic areas in need of safety regulations.

The most recent study, lead by Dr. Lincoln, was conducted over the last 9 years where 504 fishing industry related deaths occurred. The fatality rates were calculated according to the length of time at sea, distance out at sea, and the number of full time crew aboard each vessel.

Dr Lincoln says that there is still a lot of work to be done in the fishing industry, even though there have been some improvements, especially in Alaska fishing. More people are surviving vessel losses, according to the statistics, but the number of fatalities from people falling overboard remains the same at 30 percent.

It is good to see that attention is being paid to the dangerous world of commercial fishing in the freezing and turbulent waters of the U.S. This means that if you are looking for some adventure and to earn a lot of money, things are more positive when you enter the Alaska fishing industry. The conditions are still dangerous and this is something that you have to consider very carefully before you work on board a crab fishing vessel or any other commercial fishing vessel, even though the pay is extremely high. 

Thanks to this recent report, things will be done to make your job a lot safer and allow you to still make a great living. You do not necessarily need any kind of experience to work in the crab fishing or commercial fishing industry if you start out as a deckhand, but you will require a Commercial Fishing License which you can obtain from any sporting goods store in Alaska. It is recommended that you get a job first and find out, because more often than not, the captain of the vessel will purchase these for their crew. You will also need work boots, oil skins (also usually provided by your employer), hooded sweaters and sweatpants, wool sweaters for warmth, and rubber gloves. 

For more detailed information about what is required of a deckhand or any other commercial fishing crew member, and how you can find current jobs to apply for, sign up with Alaska Job Finder.

Alaska has always had a competitive job market, but in July the unemployment rate fell to the lowest percentage at 7.7 which is also far below the national average. According to economist Neal Fried, this rate is largely due to Alaska’s seasonal jobs and small economy. The unemployment rate is usually averaged at 9.5 percent for July.

The great news for Alaska  job seekers is that you are pretty much guaranteed to find work when you come to Alaska, especially in the fishing industry where crew are highly sought after for the large fishing seasons, namely in Salmon, Crab, and others.

July and August are traditionally the seasons for the Salmon fisheries to start full production, and King Crab in the Aleutian Islands. This gives job seekers a brilliant opportunity to get in on the high paying fishing jobs in harvesting and seafood processing. The unemployment rate is down from 8.1 last year, which is not really a huge difference, but it shows that people are starting to hire again, and according to Fried, having such a low rate below the national average is rare.

Alaska not only offers excellent fishing opportunities during July and August, but you will also find that there are plenty of other high paying jobs in the summer tourism industry in Alaska. Summer months in Alaska are where you will find jobs in game reserves, lodges, and towns where tourists flock to take in the beautiful surroundings. You can find jobs as tour guides, game fishing instructors, horseback riding guides, and more. You can even work in restaurants and local hotels in the hospitality department where jobs are in demand quite regularly during the summer months and where there are not always enough locals to work.

You should look at the various Alaska jobs that you can get by visiting Alaska Job Finder and joining as a member. You will then be able to get detailed information about all the different jobs in Alaska which are high paying and readily available including salary information, working hours, working conditions and where you are most likely to secure these jobs.

The website also contains a database of employers in Alaska ready to hire for any type of industry, including fishing and hospitality or tourism. This will give you an indication of where you can find work when you get to Alaska, or what companies you should approach. Alternatively, you can keep checking the Job Board regularly for actual jobs that are posted that meet your qualifications.

You will get instructions on how to create a great looking resume and application form which you can then use to approach the various companies searching for employees at any particular time. Jobs in Alaska are being filled readily, and as you can see from the unemployment rate being at an all time low, Alaska is ready to cash in on this summer’s tourism and fishing industries, so why not be part of it?

On a small charter, during the Homer (Alaska) Halibut Derby, a Grand Rapids man, Mark Hilts caught the biggest fish so far of the season weighing in at 273.2 Pounds. This giant was 83 inches in length and will see Mr Hilts winning the jackpot which currently stands at $40,000. This is based on ticket-sale projections, and can also win $1000 if his fish is the largest for the month of July. Fishing in Alaska at this time of year for Halibut is popular with most people in the Derby catching 25 Pound fish right from the get-go. The content runs until the end of September, with many Halibut available in these waters.

Hilts was awe-struck by the size of the fish, as was the captain of the charter, Pete Karwowski, who shot the fish, after a 15 or 20 minute struggle with it. It didn’t fit in the fish box on board, so they tied the tail to the head and set it in a corner. With Halibut season in its prime, this is ideal time to get charter fishing jobs in Alaska, or work on the commercial fishing vessels.

The commercial vessels normally have their crew already, but you can find some of the smaller charters looking for deckhands and other crew members. Working on a fishing vessel requires a lot of hard work and time spent at sea. Some vessels come in every day, but some do spend time out at sea overnight. You will have to be prepared to work in a small environment with other people, share rooms, and work carefully for at least 12 hours. You will leave early and get back as the sun goes down. You can make a lot of money on these fishing vessels if you get a percentage of the catch, but even working on the fishing charters, you will earn a wage for the period you are used and you will sometimes get to assist fishermen with their technique and angling style.

The charters that you can work on range from beginner fishing charters that work with a local resort or lodge, to charters for the more experienced anglers who take part in various competitions like the Homer (Alaska) Halibut Derby. If you have some experienced with fishing, then you will be of use in the beginner vessels and working for a game fishing lodge as one of their tour guides is a great option.

This is also a good way to explore the Alaskan frontier as you are able to find these kinds of tour jobs in all areas. Most of the time, you will find that they are seasonal jobs just for the summer, and that you will have to find another kind of job for the winter months. If you want to find out more about what the Alaska fishing jobs have to offer you and learn how you can go about applying for the top fishing charter jobs and some commercial fishing jobs in Alaska, visit Alaska Job Finder today and become a member.