The Alaskan Energy for Jobs Act has been announced by the House Natural Resources Committee, which will open up the oil reserve in Alaska’s Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR). Representative Don Young said that the Act would allow for “future energy production and job creation”. This Act is expected to be included in the recent Jobs Bill announced by the House of Representatives a week ago.

Young also commented, “As former chairman of both the House Natural Resources and Transportation Committees, I am proud of the fact that I am the only Member to pass both a highway bill and a bill opening ANWR out of the House. With the Highway Trust Fund struggling to stay in the black, we must find new sources of revenue to fund infrastructure projects. This is a common sense plan; the revenue generated from drilling in ANWR will help keep the Highway Trust Fund from defaulting and will create jobs at the same time.”

According to recent estimates by a recent Geological Survey, the Refuge has about 10.4 billion barrels of oil, and the Act will make half a million acres of the Alaskan coastal area available for drilling and production of this natural resource.

According to the Act, the Secretary of the Interior is set to “establish and implement a competitive oil and gas leasing program for the exploration, development, and production of the oil and gas resources of the coastal plain of Alaska, to ensure secure energy supplies for the continental Pacific coast of the United States, lower prices, and reduce imports, and for other purposes.”

Of course there will be special protections put in place for various areas of the reserve that are to remain unaffected, namely the 4000 acres surrounding the Sadlerochit warm water spring. The bill says, “The Secretary, after consultation with the state of Alaska, the city of Kaktovik, and the North Slope Borough, may designate up to a total of 45,000 acres of the plain as a Special Area if the Secretary determines that the Special Area is of such unique character and interest so as to require special management and regulatory protection.”

Future Alaska oil production jobs and Alaskan drilling jobs in the ANWR region could mean relief for many people in Alaska who are struggling with unemployment. Although it will still take time to come about, the new Act is also set to repair and create infrastructure which will only improve the economy of the area and aid job growth and development.

To find out more about the different types of oil and gas jobs that you can get in Alaska, and learn about what qualifications and training you need to get a job in the Alaskan oil industry, have a look at Alaska Job Finder and become a member. You will not only gain insight into the various forms of employment you can find in Alaska along with those in the oil sector, but also discover how to make an impact with your applications and resume. If you are looking for an exciting form of employment in Alaska, do not hesitate to check out the Job Board for current oil, tourism, and fishing job openings.

The Timber Task Force was created with the aim of discovering forested areas in Alaska that can be logged and milled. They were once part of the larger Tongass Futures Roundtable, but Gov Sean Parnell decided to separate and form the Task Force with its specific issues surrounding forestry and job creation. Currently the Task Force is aiming to increase jobs in Alaska in the logging and milling industry, but is facing some challenges.

According to one of the members, Elaine Price, “There’s a market and there’s a demand, but getting a supply to create these jobs is a problem. And hopefully the governor will be able to do something about that.”

The Task Force held a meeting earlier in the month where certain issues were discussed, the main one being the amount of timber left to mill. Chris Maisch, a State Forester, said, “We had a report on the U.S. Forest Service timber program as it exists under the 2008 Tongass Land Management Plan and some of the difficulties in terms of the amount of volume that’s being produced by the program – or the lack of it.”

The Task Force had also set up a teleconference link for the meeting and expected to also hear from the public in person about their thoughts regarding the Forest Service’s sale process, however there was no response. Maisch says that this could be due to the fact that people haven’t had time to digest the first work products that were put out. “I expect that we’ll get more input as that becomes more widely known and available to people.”

The Task Force is also busy drafting reports to the governor that indicate the volume of timber in the region and detailing products that can be manufactured from this Alaska wood. Maisch believes that the future of Alaska timber and the key to creating new Alaska jobs is to focus on the Southeast, where the Southeast State Forest can be added to and new forests could be created purely for harvesting purposes.

Despite critics saying that the Task Force should have remained under the auspices of the roundtable, many people are backing them and hope that they can get results where the roundtable has previously been unsuccessful. “In Southeast Alaska we have some high unemployment in some of the rural communities. And the timber industry could solve some of that if there was a supply again,” says Price.

To learn more about the forestry service in Alaska and search for Alaskan employment in the State Forests, you should visit Alaska Job Finder. Aside from learning about all the other types of Alaskan careers you can choose from including fishing and tourism, you will find out just how to go about securing an interview and finding the best possible jobs in Alaska. If you want to give the timber industry a go, then you can looking for seasonal forestry jobs like those discussed on Summer Job Finder. Here you will discover all the details about the industry and about unique seasonal work like reforestation jobs which includes working in the State Forests and Parks.

Hundreds of Alaska jobs may be created thanks to a huge rare earth’s project planned on Prince of Wales Island which will bring much needed strategic metals and a secure supply of resources to the State. The project will be a collaboration between Ucore Rare Metals and the city of Ketchikan, which is where the large Bokan Mountain deposit is located. State geologists have already indicated around 70 possible sites where exploration companies plan to dig and the state legislators are confident that a lucrative mining and processing industry can be established here.

According to Luisa Moreno, a Jacob Securities analyst based in Toronto, “They have this view that, potentially, they can make Alaska the Silicon Valley of rare earths.”  Moreno has a “speculative buy” on the stock of Ucore and believes that they will be one of the front runners among the many exploration companies that will jump on this project. “Alaska has a serious unemployment issue and it is getting worse. Rare earths seem to be their one chance – they really want to capture this opportunity and make it happen.”

So, what are rare earths exactly? Well, they are a group of 17 metals that are used for technological items from iPhones to cars. They are also used in oil refining and in certain defense applications, but currently most of the supply is located in China where prices have increased drastically since the export clampdown. The Bokan Mountain deposit has been found to be rich in rare earths of the heavy kind such as dysprosium, which is demanded greatly around the world and that Canada and Alaska can benefit economically from.

The refining facility and operations of the mine, including a mineral separation plant, will be located in Ketchikan which already contains the basic infrastructure needed for a project of this magnitude. It is also thought that the processing ability would made it easier to develop other Alaskan deposits and even refine Canadian ones like the concentrates from the Avalon Rare Metal’s Nechalacho deposit.

Although there is huge potential for creating many jobs in Alaska, it is estimated that the project will cost approximately $100 million just to get the mine started, and a further $50 million to construct the processing facility. Aside from the financial restrictions there is also likely to be a 3 year waiting period until the permits are finalized, which will include environmental impact assessment work and feasibility studies.

Dan Sullivan, the Natural Resources Commissioner in Alaska, said, “The permitting issue is key and we recognize that both on the state and federal side we need to bring down these times. It just takes too damn long to permit a mine.” However, if the permits could be sped up, Ucore would be able to keep its current 2015 production target of 3200 tons.

So far, Alaska has set aside $500,000 for land assessment, and Gov Sean Parnell said that incentives would also be provided for companies who agreed to develop the prospective rare earth deposits.  Sullivan agreed, “We want responsible resource development up here. There is a land here, a lot of unexplored land, and we think the opportunities are enormous.”

According to Jack Lifton, a rare earths industry expert, “There’s a natural resource boom about to be ignited in Alaska. Right now, the issue is we’ve got to bring the total spectrum of rare earths into production in the West. I am very confident that something major will happen in Alaska in the next twelve months in the way of rare earth mining.”

To find out about other careers in Alaska, visit and join Alaska Job Finder today.

Over 54,000 oil and gas jobs could be created in the industry in Alaska, if the production levels return to the way they were before the moratorium was introduced. This is according to the president of the US Chamber of Commerce, Thomas Donahue. He is trying to urge the US Congress and President Barack Obama to consider leasing offshore oil and gas fields and expanding across federal lands. He said that if the levels were returned to the way they were, the Gulf of Mexico could create 190,000 jobs by the year 2013.

“Let American energy workers and businesses responsibly develop all sources of domestic energy immediately,” he recommended in a letter to the Senate Members, and the Obama U.S House. “This will not only create jobs but will generate new government revenue, protect our energy security, and release us from the grip of some unfriendly governments.”

This proposal includes approving the Keystone XML Pipeline running from Canada. The expansion and development also includes creating 530,000 jobs by 2025, which will increase the government revenue by $206 billion, and reduce the imports by 44%.

“Expanding the development of the nation’s massive shale gas deposits would create hundreds of thousands of jobs and help bring manufacturing back to the United States, especially in the chemicals and steel industries,” said Donahue. “By 2020, gas production in western Pennsylvania alone could create 116,000 new jobs, generate more than $2 billion in government revenue, and add $20 billion to the region’s economy.”

The Keystone Project is instrumental in creating 250,000 Alaskan jobs and will boost the economy of the area by $20 billion. It will also create over $585,000 million in government revenues. Some of the ideas to speed up the oil and gas production process in Alaska include putting a limit on the number of months allowed for environmental research. He says that risk assessment reports and environmental reviews should be set at a limit of six months. “Accelerating the permitting process would quickly mobilize economic activity, construction, and hiring from one end of our country to the other,” he said.

To find out more about oil and gas industry jobs, please visit Oil Job Finder and Alaska Job Finder, where you can become a member and start searching and applying for jobs right away. You will discover the different types of jobs available, what you need to study to qualify, what the hours and working conditions are like, 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.

In a recent unemployment report, Alaska is once again well below the average for unemployment in the country with Fairbanks having the lower unemployment rate at just 6.5 % according to the Department of Labor. At the same time last year the rate was 6.8 %, so things are getting better and better all the time.

The national rate is currently at 8.7 % and this figure rises even more to 9.1 % when seasonally adjusted. Fairbanks also boasts the lowest rate in the state with Alaska averaging a 7.4 % unemployment rate. According to the statistics, jobs in Alaska were up this May in some sectors including the oil and gas industry which introduced 700 new oil and gas jobs.

However, some industries were down including seafood processing, wholesale trade, construction and food and beverage stores. Due to the federal census workers leaving, the government employment was also down and it has dropped by about 1500 people during the year. The local government, however, also dropped about 500 jobs this year.

Although Fairbanks and some other cities in Alaska has very low unemployment rates, the country should not be oblivious to the fact that there are places in Alaska that are suffering with some horrific unemployment up to 21 % or more.

Development is needed for the sustainment of the economy in Alaska and across America. Seasonal work may also brighten up things for the Alaskan unemployment rate, but once the season comes to a close, the rates will increase again as people are out of work.

In relation to this, the timber industry has decided to formulate a Timber Job Task Force in order to prepare and make recommendations for job creation in the timber industry in Alaska. This task force is being headed by nine members, as appointed by the Alaska Governor, Sean Parnell, who represent various sectors of the timber industry across the state. The task force is due to get to work this month and organize new timber industry jobs through the development of timber harvesting and recommendations with regards to federal, state and private lands.

If you want to find out more about the various jobs that you can get in beautiful Alaska and help to boost employment and economy of the State, visit Alaska Job Finder to learn more. You will get plenty of information about fishing jobs, oil jobs and summer jobs you can get in Alaska and how you can go about getting one of them.

With the shift to summer, many people all over the country are looking for summer jobs, so if you have a bit of an adventurous streak, and want to make money whilst exploring, Alaska is the place to go. This summer tourism jobs in Alaska are expected to be increasingly available to students and young adults in various parts of the tourism sector. The state of Alaska receives hundreds of visitors every year during its summer seasons and there are plenty of choices when it comes to summer employment.

National and State Park Jobs

Working in one of the state parks or national parks such as the Denali National Park is a great opportunity to get experience in different aspects of outdoor work. For example you can work at the camps and provide assistance with activities and work at the resort. Then you can also find outdoor work in the park as a ranger, where you will make sure that people are safe going out on drives and check on the wildlife.

Hospitality Jobs

There are plenty of tourist hotspots that open up during summer and Alaska work as a waitress, bar manager, hotel manager, or retail assistant is available. Chef jobs are also readily available in the Alaskan restaurants and hotels that open their arms to tourists during this time. In fact many businesses are only open during the summer, so there is an increased need for hard working individuals in Alaska as far as hospitality jobs are concerned.

Cruise Line Jobs

Cruise ships from all the major cruise line company descend up on the shores of Alaska in droves for the summer season, so cruise ship employment is also a viable option whether you live in Alaska and you want to get a cruise line job down the coast, or if you want to come into Alaska to find a job after working on board a cruise ship. Aside from the on board positions, cruise ship jobs are also found on shore, whether it is running excursions for a cruise line or working in a cruise line company’s office or call center.

Tour Guide Jobs

One of the most exciting jobs in Alaska has to be that of a tour guide or excursion guide. Alaska has some of the most abundant wildlife populations in the country and in just a few short distances from a resort or camp site, you can find bears, caribou herds, and tons of other animals. Game fishing resorts employ fishing assistants who will go out with the game fishing vessels and help the new fishermen with their technique. The tour guide job requires you to have some experience dealing with the kinds of animals that you will be going to see, and you should also have safety and first aid skills. Tour guide jobs can be taken one step further with adventure tour jobs. This can see you leading a cycling tour group, or you could find yourself being a hiking tour guide.

Whatever your skill set and whatever kinds of jobs you love doing, you are sure to find something in Alaska. Working in Alaska is probably the most exciting thing you can do for summer and will give you so many opportunities to experience the beauty and splendor of the state, as well as offer you a clear insight into various kinds of Alaskan careers.

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.

The Alaskan landscape is one that has attracted people from all walks of life for many years and to explore this amazing wilderness is now even easier thanks to 2 brand new cruise lines that have opened up. Being smaller than normal, these cruise liners have the unique ability to sail into areas that others cannot, providing passengers with wonderful experiences. Inner Sea Discoveries and Alaskan Dream Cruises will each operate 2 ships.

Aside from the 2 new cruise lines, Alaska is also fortunate to host some other well known cruise lines for the first time. This will bring the number of berths up from 900,000 last year, although it will still be below the pre recession 1.3 million berths in 2008. With additional cruise ship jobs on offer, the economy in Alaska will slowly start reaping the benefits.

Ron Peck, the president of the Alaska Travel Industry Association commented, “We’re excited about the coming season. Crystal is coming back this year ([after five years’ absence from Alaska), and Disney and Oceania are sailing here for the first time.”

Many of the other cruise lines will be returning to Alaska and many of them will also be offering luxury cruises this year. There are also plenty of interesting shore excursions this year including gold panning in the Klondike Gold Fields and a bear watching and fishing excursion. This also provides a great opportunity for getting tour guide jobs and adventure jobs. Zip line tours are also offered and for the first time in 17 years, the Kodiak Wildlife Refuge will be open for visitors. This area is home to the largest concentration of bears in Alaska.

The cruise lines have upped their prices this year with peak season in July costing roughly $1000 for an inside room. You have 14 cruise lines to choose from, whether you want to go on the cruise or get a cruise liner job:

Alaskan Dream Cruises

The brand new cruise line presents the Admiralty Dream and Alaska Dream offering 7 night cruises from Sitka to various non-traditional ports.

Carnival Cruise Lines

The Carnival Spirit offers 7 night cruise from Seattle roundtrip between May and September.

Celebrity Cruises

Celebrity Century, Celebrity Millennium and Celebrity Infinity have 7 night cruise departing from Vancouver, Seattle or Seward. This year a new cruise has been added. The Ultimate Cruisetour is an 18 night package offering a 6 night Canadian Rockies tour, 7 night cruise, and 5 night Alaskan land tour.

Crystal Cruises

The Crystal Symphony is back after a 5 year absence and offers a 12 night roundtrip cruise from San Francisco from May to August.

Disney Cruise Line

The Disney Wonder departs Vancouver for its first ever trip to Alaska with 18 cruises planned lasting 7 nights. It has been revamped to include a floor to ceiling glass lounge atop the ship and child friendly excursions.

Holland America

Holland is the biggest cruise operator in Alaska with 7 ships. They offer 4 itineraries ranging from 7 to 14 nights and sail out of various ports.

Inner Sea Discoveries

The new 49 passenger Wilderness Adventurer and the 68 passenger Wilderness Discoverer will visit remote coves and areas in Alaska, offering shore excursions in small towns where hiking, paddle boarding, kayaking, snorkeling and more are provided.

Lindblad Expeditions

The National Geographic Sea Bird and the National Geographic Sea Lion offer a 7 night and an 11 night one way cruise from April to September.

Norwegian Cruise Line

The Norwegian Pearl and the Norwegian Star will once again make 7 night cruises out of Seattle.

Oceania Cruises

Oceania is sailing in Alaska for the first time with its Regatta on 4 different itineraries.

Princess Cruises

Princess offers 6 cruise ships in Alaska, namely the Diamond Princess, Coral Princess, Island Princess, Golden Princess, Sapphire Princess, and the Sea Princess with varying itineraries. 

Regent Seven Seas Cruises

The luxury Seven Seas navigator offers 7 night cruises between Anchorage and Vancouver between May and August with a pre embarkation hotel night included in the fare.

Royal Caribbean

Radiance of the Seas and Rhapsody of the Seas will once again operate 7 night itineraries over the season. Before going to Alaska, Radiance will receive a major renovation with a new lounge, several dining venues and more being added.

Silversea Cruises

Silver Shadow will offer 7 night, one way cruises between Vancouver and Seward as well as a 10 night Anchorage to Vancouver voyage with free airfare included.

There are plenty of Alaska cruise job opportunities available, so make sure you get in early. Visit Alaska Job Finder and Cruise Job Finder to learn more about cruise jobs and working in Alaska.