You would be surprised at the Anchorage job market today. Just like any other big city coastal town, there are a number of different opportunities available. There are the usual jobs in retail sales, marketing, and working for restaurants and bars, but there are also so many others to choose from. More and more big companies are moving here, you can find more skilled labor here than ever before. You can find construction trades, work in the production of gas and oil, and many different architectural, environmental, and information technologies.

If you have credentials and experience as a registered nurse, you may want to consider getting an Anchorage job as a traveling nurse. This is at the top of the list for the medical profession in this area, in high demand, as well as one of the highest paid jobs in the medical field in Alaska. A traveling nurse can get paid upwards of $95,000 a year, as well as a generous housing allowance. What does a traveling nurse doall They provide health care to remote areas of Alaska, taking care of Native Americans, oil workers, and anyone else who lives in remote areas that is in need of medical attention.

There are also ways to make money in Alaska by thinking out of the box. If you are looking for a more unique Anchorage job, you might want to consider a job in the fishing industry. Yes, there are jobs available for crab fishing like you see on cable television, but there is also the Salmon fishing industry as well, just to name a few. More and more people are buying seafood products that have the Alaskan label, so the fishing industry here is in a boom state.

If you are interest in jobs in Anchorage, or even elsewhere in the state, there are an abundance of resources that can help you. One search on the internet can produce a multitude of results. There are listing websites that show almost every available position in Anchorage, from working at places like Costco and Walmart, to positions in the hospitality field, as well as government jobs from the postal service and forestry department. If you are a teen, or interested in working part time during the summer there are more than 30,000 part time jobs in and around the Anchorage area alone, so finding one that suits your needs won’t be hard to find. There are internships for college students who are looking improve their skills, as well as many jobs for business professionals.

There are some unique opportunities in Alaska. If you are interested in the Iditarod, Alaska’s oldest and last of the great races. You can help train the dogs, work with equipment suppliers, and many other opportunities. There are a large amount of people that are needed, and you can find a job easily even if you don’t have a large amount of experience.

Having an Anchorage job and living here has many advantages that people living in the lower states don’t have. Living in Alaska you have a literally untamed wilderness for your backyard, with many opportunities to see wildlife that is unavailable anywhere else. You can see humpback whales, Grizzly Bears, caribou, within a short distance. While the cost of living is higher than other places, you get money from the oil companies, and many other benefits.

Gap years are becoming increasingly popular with those aged anywhere from 18 to 32 years old. It’s not just a year between school and university, when uncertain teenagers, on the brink of adulthood, take time off to travel and experience different cultures. Many young people take gap years after university, before entering the work world, as a final fling, away from responsibility and the prospect of paying tax. Gap years are also on the rise among those experiencing career crises, who are disillusioned with their current jobs, and take time off before settling into something new. One of the more interesting and dynamic gap year options is to head off to Alaska to be a part of the lucrative fishing industry.

Gap year opportunities in Alaska are relatively rare. But non-residents take 57% of the jobs in the fishing industry, so your chances of a successful application are good. Why Alaskaall Why fishing? Alaska doesn’t sound like the most exotic destination in the world, and it has a well deserved reputation for being ice cold. It’s within stones’ throw of the North Pole, after all. Fishing isn’t a particularly appealing job option either. Long hours on rough seas, the unmistakable smell of fish seeping into your pores. There is, however, a lot going for this unusual choice.

The money is very good, especially if you’re fortunate enough to be placed on a crab-fishing vessel. Your board and lodging is paid for, which means more money in your pocket. Spring and summer jobs are available for those who don’t like the cold. The industry isn’t limited to fishing trawlers, as there are also positions onshore involving processing and packaging, as well as a variety of support jobs.

When entering the industry, it’s easier to make the processing side your first port of call. Processing is done both onshore and offshore. Offshore processing takes place on floating processors, which are usually anchored in a specific area for some time. Summer is the most lucrative season. There are also catcher/processor vessels that harvest fish, and process them. They float around the fishing grounds, tracking the shoals. Workers are paid hourly, with overtime and bonus incentives that can result in earnings of $800 – $1000 per week.

Working as a deckhand or harvester is far more lucrative. Deckhands usually get a percentage of the boat’s catch – a crew share. It’s possible to earn in excess of $20,000 in less than a month. Tasks include net repair, wheel watching, net hauling and rigging. Harvesting takes place during autumn, winter, and spring, with the most lucrative season being from late January to April. It’s possible to work as a deckhand in summer as well, with positions being most abundant on Salmon trawlers.

A typical day on a trawler lasts between eighteen and twenty hours, allows crew four or five hours of sleep, and then starts again. The most important rule is: never complain! Jobs on harvesters are sought after, so if you should be lucky enough to get one, show your appreciation with dedication and hard work. It’s what’s expected. As part of the crew, you are an integral part of a team, and it’s important to do your share of the work so that the ship can continue to run smoothly. Punctuality is also vital. Sleep is precious on a trawler; unnecessary dawdling can deprive other members of sleep, which can put lives in danger.

Working in the Alaskan fishing industry can provide many varied and unique challenges that, once successfully completed, can improve self-confidence. Physical and mental challenges, competently overcome, prove your stamina and endurance, as well as your ability to think on your feet. There are risks and dangers involved, and occasionally fishermen lose their lives at sea. But you could choke on your morning toast while rushing out to work. Life is full of hidden dangers: why not take some head on?

Recommended sites:

http://www.alaskajobfinder.com/jobSeekers/

http://www.alaska-summer-jobs.com/deckhand_jobs.htm

Alaskans take pride in their state’s natural resources. Three of them– gold, fish and fur– are well known. These three resources have been worth many times the sum that the United States paid Russia for this piece of land. However, for the future, Alaska is beginning to look to other resources, especially oil and petroleum.

Alaska is rich in vegetation resources. There are two kinds of forests in the state: the interior forest and the coastal forest. The interior forests are found around the river valleys of the interior area and as far north as the central and eastern parts of the Brooks Range. Most of the timber harvested is mainly willow and aspen but much of the forest growth is stunted because of the short growing season and permafrost. The coastal forests on the other hand, begin in the Panhandle and spread throughout the coast of the Gulf of Alaska well into Kodiak Island. These forests are usually dense and made up of hemlock, cedar and spruce trees. Tundra vegetation is also common to much of Alaska. Most of it is made up of lichens, grasses, various mosses, cranberry vines and crowberries. When these plants die, they decay at a very slow rate mainly because of the dampness and low temperature of the area. Year after year, old plants pile up and new plants struggle to grow through them. The tundra vegetation i n other parts of Alaska may also include dwarf species of trees and a number of bushes. The only extensive lands for grazing are found on the Aleutian Islands. If you’re looking for true arctic tundra with absolutely no trees or shrubs, then you can check out the Arctic slope and Seward Peninsula.

There is also a wide variety of animal life in an area the size of Alaska. The usual animals would be deer, mountain goats, black bears and moose, all commonly found in southeastern Alaska. Go up further north and grizzly bears start to appear. As you go into the interior lands, caribou begin to replace deer in numbers. It is not uncommon to see caribou travel in herds of thousands. Polar bears are found in the far north and spend most of their time out on the ice packs hunting food. Exotic animals that have been introduced to Alaska include the reindeer found in the Arctic areas, elk on some islands, musk oxen and bison. To conserve animal life on the peninsula, these animals are protected in wildlife ranges under the federal government. Wolves and foxes are also found in many parts of the state. Animals hunted for fur include the mink and beaver. A number of bird species also make Alaska their summer home or remain all year. Some of these include ducks, geese and grouse. The common game fishes a re Grayling and rainbow trout. Commercial fish harvests depend mainly on cod, halibut and salmon. In fact, the king salmon is the state fish. Shellfish is also plentiful and a large industry is built on harvesting shrimp, crabs and clams.

Deposits of gold and silver are known to exist in almost every region of Alaska. So much has been said about the gold that people are sometimes surprised to learn that Alaska has also other mineral riches, like natural gas and petroleum. Geologists are still surveying the area for other petroleum sites. The Panhandle is known to contain important minerals such as nickel, zinc and lead. Mineral deposits of the Gulf of Alaska include mercury, platinum and copper. Alaska, with its many bodies of water, also generates power through the production of hydroelectricity.

Have you always longed to see Alaskaall If so, consider getting a summer job in Alaska allowing you to earn money and see the state in late summer. Visitors can see waterfalls, beautiful wildlife in its native habitat, some of the largest national parks in the country – all within the same state. You can see those same sights and earn some cash at the same time while working for the summer at one of Alaska’s wilderness lodges.

Tourists are not only interested in lodging amenities; they are also looking for a variety of ways to experience adventure when they visit Alaska. Princess Tours runs many wilderness lodges in Alaska. During the summer they are bustling with activity and need many summer workers to complete their staffing requirements.

A wilderness lodge is like a hotel but with an outdoor atmosphere. To further add to the ambiance, some of the lodges are in remote locations far from any city or town. Anyone staying in one of the lodges will experience Alaska’s untamed lands at its best.

Princess Tours is better known for their cruise line but visitors who stay in their lodges as part of a vacation package are not disappointed. As a summer employee, you can be a part of this terrific enterprise that makes memories for the thousands who come to Alaska each year. Most positions don’t require previous experience as the company offers intensive training on-site.

The available positions are the same that you would expect to find in a regular hotel: housekeeping, kitchen staff, wait staff, laundry, front desk, and concierge. Wilderness lodges have additional activities that need to be staffed such as: guide posts in outdoor activities, bus drivers, and fishing guides. A day at one of these lodges is never boring.

While training is offered to those who hire in for the guide positions, there are some requirements such as being able to swim for kayaking guides and knowing how to fish for a fishing guide position. Courses in CPR and wilderness survival training are a plus that could put you ahead of your job competition.

Alaska is known for its high cost of living, and this is especially true in tourist areas, so it is wise to save up some money before you travel there. Your first paycheck may not be given to you until you are a month into your contract. That’s a long time to be without any money.

Some companies do not pay for workers to fly into and out of their employment destination. If the lodge is in a remote spot, this could mean a plane ride followed by a bus or taxi ride before you get where you’re going. Be sure you know where the lodge is located. If remote areas aren’t for you, pick a spot closer to town.

Workers are housed by the company close to where they work. This could be a tent or a room that you share with another person at a discounted rate. College students know how it is getting used to living with a new person. If this doesn’t bother you, then the summer will be off to a good start.

Meal plans are available as well as discounts on lodge activities. Try your hand at a zipline tour or photographing wildlife on a nature tour. The work hours are long so free time is a premium and there are plenty of activities to occupy your time.

Working in Alaska is not the way to get rich, but you will get to see the country much cheaper than the tourists. People travel from all across the country and the globe to take positions in Alaska’s various industries. Summer workers like the fact that they get to meet new people and learn about their cultures. The work is hard but the perks are worth it.

Princess Tours offers a perks program to their summer workers. Commendations are earned for hard work and friendliness. Many who work for them can return in subsequent summers in higher positions and for more money. Building a good relationship with the company may lead to permanent career positions.

If you’re a fan of Discovery Channel’s “The Deadliest Catch,” then you know a little bit about Alaskan king crab fishing. It’s extremely dangerous, the fishing season is exceedingly short, and good crabbers can catch a heck of a lot of crabs in a short time. It’s also tremendously exciting to watch, but most people don’t get the chance.

The King Crab Varieties

About 250 fishing boats currently fish for crab off the coast of Alaska and the Aleutian Islands in the Bering Sea. There are three kinds of crab the fishermen fish, Red King Crab, Blue King Crab, and Golden King Crab, with Red King the most popular and highly valued. You can’t just fish for any king crab, however, they have to be a certain size before you can keep them, and females are always thrown back.

It’s All About the Money

Yes, Alaskan king crab fishing is exciting and dangerous, but it’s also extremely lucrative, if it’s done right. The season lasts about two to four weeks, but there are a lot of variables, including how many boats are out fishing, what they caught the previous season, and so on. Crabbers that find the most crabs can make a million dollars or more in a season, but that doesn’t count operating costs, payroll, and fuel costs, which continue to rise.

A Tough Job, But Somebody’s Gotta do It

There’s a reason this job is featured on “America’s Toughest Jobs,” too. Crab fishing is dangerous because of the weather during the season (winter, when storms are plentiful), but because of the fast-paced environment on deck, too. Crewmen can slip and fall overboard, can be injured or killed by flying equipment like the crab pots, and if the boat suffers an accident, they can be swept away to sea and drown. Alaskan king crab fishing is one of the most dangerous occupations around, and each year, fishermen are killed and maimed at a higher rate than just about any other job in the country.

More Crab, Please

Most crab fishermen don’t just hunt the elusive king crab. They fish for other varieties of crab, too, like brown, opilio, and snow crab. This lengthens out the fishing season and adds to the income, but it adds to the stress of crab fishing, as well. These boats are out to sea for weeks at a time, and the living quarters are Spartan, at best. These men (there are VERY few women), have to live, work, and sleep in close quarters, and they often work unheard of hours, as much as 24 to 36 hours in a row.

Because it’s such a hard job, it takes a special person to be a crab fishermen, and a lot of the beginners (“greenhorns”) just don’t cut it. So, the next time you enjoy a fine plate of king crab legs, a crab cake, or a crab cocktail, think about where it came from. You just may have an Alaska king crab fisherman to thank for your meal, so before you dig in, remember the men who fish for your food, and the dangers they face every time they hit the crab lines on the Bering Sea.

Most people who enjoy a good crab know that Alaskan king crab is synonymous with flavor. Until recently though, most people did not know that Alaskan king crab fishing is one of the most dangerous jobs in the world. Why is thatall Because “crabbing,” as it is called, requires the fishermen to sail out to the deep sea in the heart of winter, which as you can imagine, is also the season of treacherous storms. The season is short and sleep is limited. Compared to the average worker, the fatality rate among the fishermen is about 90 times higher. But to read accounts of crab fishermen is to know that there is an allure to the lifestyle, a connection to the sea that keeps them returning to the icy waters to make their potentially deadly catch.

Though crabs are caught in Russia and in international waters, the most prominent (and sustainable) of the crab fishing occurs off the coast of Alaska and the Aleutian Islands. In 1980 the crab fishing industry was at a peak, presenting a catch of over 200 million pounds of crab; however, due to many factors, catches decreased after this year and thus the season was shortened to accommodate regeneration. The harvest now is performed in a very short amount of time and then the catch is shipped worldwide. Recent Alaskan king crab fishing seasons have been as short as 4 days, and can range from one to two weeks.

There are more or less three varieties of the crab that are commercially viable: In Alaska, three species of the crab are caught commercially: the red king crab, the blue king crab, and the golden king crab. Baited with cut fish, steel traps or pots are pushed over the side of a large boat. Each pot is marked with a buoy, which also signifies its owner. Pots are hauled in, at the right time, usually based on gut instinct and years of experience more than an actual science. When full the pots that must be dragged up can weigh well over a ton, presenting a serious risk to the fishermen and their boat. Pots are quickly emptied into the hold of the boat, rebaited, and returned to the ocean floor.

Alaskan king crab fishing is without a doubt a dangerous job, but the fruits of the labor are a delicious treat for the public at large.

Every year, there are so many people that are going to Alaska for fishing trips. And this trend does not have any sign of changing any time soon. With so many people going to Alaska for their fishing trips, it creates a really good opportunity for Alaska salmon fishing jobs. If you are looking for a job and you are quite adept in fishing, then this might be the right job just for you.

There are many different kinds of fishes that can be caught in Alaska. The place has various kinds of salmon, halibut, and trout on its freshwater and saltwater areas. People really want to fish in Alaska because the fishes in the area are really great catches.

One of the Alaska salmon fishing jobs that people could get to be part of is salmon processing. In most of the Alaskan coastal towns, there are onshore processing plants for salmon, where people can have their catches processed. The plants sort and process the different kinds salmon like king, sockeye, chum, pink and coho. Sometimes, there are so many catches that people working at a salmon processing plant will continue working with the catches of fish.

There are many stations on the salmon processing job. Usually, the plant is split into the slime line, packing fish, the freezer, and the egg house. People working as slimers may be belly splitters, who slice the fish and then hand them over the gut pullers. The gut pullers remove the entrails and the eggs of the fish. After that, the fish are sorted according to a scale. The eggs from the fish are then sent to the egg house for further processing.

After the fishes are cleaned, they are then sent to the freezer for storage. To preserve the fish better, they are usually stored in brine. When the time comes, the fishes are sent to be shipped into another area.

Aside from working in a salmon processing plant, there are also other Alaska salmon fishing jobs. One of the best jobs available is to be a fishing guide. There are many people who come from other states just to fish in Alaska. If they don’t know about the areas that they are going to fish in, they will usually hire a fishing guide to assist them.

If you are going to work as a fishing guide, you must be quite knowledgeable with fishing in your area. People prefer their guides to be quite knowledgeable. You must get to know the kinds of fishes that are present in the area where you are going to be a guide in. Get to know more about how to fish for them, so you could effectively guide your guests.

Being a fishing guide is one of the better Alaska salmon fishing jobs. If your customers are tired from all the fishing and they need a break, they may request you to give them a tour around the best places in the area. You could get to explore many places with your job as a fishing guide. If your hobbies include fishing and exploring places, being a guide is definitely the right job for you.

No it isn’t Bill Gates. It isn’t the diamond merchants of South Africa or the oil barons of Saudi Arabia either. The world’s highest paid job is crab fishing in Alaska. The frigid waters off the Alaskan shoreline house a veritable fishing goldmine and crab fishing in Alaska has been aptly dubbed the last great gold rushes on earth.

Crab fishing is the most significant of the Alaskan commercial shellfish industries. The waters of Alaska, notably the Bering Sea, Bristol Bay, Dutch Harbor and the Kodiak and Aleutian Islands are home to rich bounties of crabs: tanner, Dungeness and the famed Alaskan King crab.

The different varieties of the Alaskan crabs possess immense commercial value and the Alaskan King crab in particular is a prized dish in the culinary world, valued as highly as caviar or vintage French wine. US and Japanese restaurants are the primary importers of Alaskan King crab in the world.

An idea of the valuation of crab fishing in Alaska can be garnered from the fact that a seasoned fisherman can hope to rope in US$50000 worth of catch in an eight-week period.

The commercial crab fishing industry in Alaska had its beginning way back in 1950. The returns were promising from the very start and the region quickly attracted hundreds of US fishing boats. The 1980s were the heydays of crab fishing in Alaska. During this period of king crab boom, the fishing boat captains regularly earned US$150000 in a season and the crab fishing boats boasted of saunas, music systems and microwaves.

But by 1983, the Alaskan King crab industry crashed for no apparent reason. The worst slump in fishing history, it forced fishermen to look into alternative fishing sources. Thus Alaskan commercial fishing branched out either to salmon and halibut or bairdi and opilio, two types of tanner crabs.

Since then the Alaskan crab fishing trade has looked up a little with the year 2001 bringing in 23.2-million pounds of fishing stock worth US$36-million. But crab fishing in Alaska still continues to command the highest pay packet in the world.

But this is only the rosy side to the job. Crab fishing in Alaska is one of the most perilous of all jobs in the world. To fish for crabs in the glacial waters of the Arctic Ocean in sub-zero temperatures, with pounding waves thrashing on the deck and tossing the fishing boat treacherously and icy winds howling continuously, needs a stout heart and an able body. Furthermore, your work will involve negotiating the enormous crab pots and coils of line along the slippery deck.

Each and every muscle and sinew of the body is stretched to the hilt and exhaustion to the point of breakdown is common. Crippled limbs, crushed fingers and ribs, broken legs are the staple fare in the grueling 20-21 hour daily schedules, while men toppling overboard are not uncommon incidents either. In fact, every year there are some casualties in these fishing trips.

However, in spite of all the hardships, there is no dearth of men seeking employment in this fishing trade. Crab fishing in Alaska remains a haloed job to land.

Although no job is completely safe, Alaskan crab fishing jobs are far more dangerous than other types of summer jobs. The entire Alaskan fishing industry was named “most hazardous job in America” by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health. Fishing jobs in Alaska pay a high enough wage to tempt many college students for having a unique addition to their resume.

Roll Out The Numbers

Alaskan work related deaths are five times greater than the national average, mainly due to fishing jobs. For every 100,000 workers in Alaska, 35 will die in a year, while in almost every other state, only about 7 will die on the job. This makes about 195 deaths in the Alaskan fishing industry per year. If you are considering taking one of many Alaskan crab fishing jobs open, you need to do a lot of homework to be sure you will survive to collect your paycheck.

How Do They Dieall

Because of the dearth of employment opportunities in many parts of America, some college students feel that they have no choice but to head to Alaska for a job on a fishing boat. By looking at how most of the fishermen died (or the theories as to how they died), you can help lessen your chances of sharing their watery fate. You want to be getting crabs for food – not be food for crabs.

First off, you need to physically look at the boat offering up the Alaskan crab fishing jobs. Don’t be put off by a boat’s age – it’s the condition of the boat you need to pay attention to. The most important things you are looking for is a life boat, a working GPS navigational system and an ample supply of survival suits and not just life jackets. Life jackets will not be enough to protect you from the frigid waters of the Northern Pacific.

When On The Boat

Experienced fishermen may take some teachings about basic boat safety for granted. They’ve been doing their jobs for so long that they can wrongly assume that boat safety is common knowledge on dry land. Every time you are on the deck, you need to have a life line tied to you so that if you fall overboard, you can be towed back to the boat. You also need to be wearing a floatational vest of some kind.

If you know absolutely nothing about boats, then you really need to rethink getting a job on an Alaskan fishing boat. You are stuck out on the ocean for months. No one is going to turn the boat around just because you’re seasick. You need to at least have some experience on a boat (not just a rowboat or canoe) in order to have a much better chance of not only surviving, but thriving at your job.

Have you ever thought about quitting your present job and going to Alaska to do some crab fishingall If so then chances are you already know that there are a lot of Alaska crab fishing jobs out there. Within this article we are going to be talking about the jobs, the dangers, and what fishing jobs are.

First you should know that if you are in Alaska and fishing for Alaskan king crab then you will be doing this during the cold winter months. You will be doing your job off the coast of Aleutian Islands. When it comes to the commercial harvest of crabs then you should know that it only done for a little while and the season is very short. You will also find king crab caught in the Russian waters along with the international waters.

In the 1980′s the Alaskan crabbing jobs were at the best because the fisheries were producing around two hundred million pounds of crab. Then three years later, in 1983, the total size of the crabs caught had dropped big time. There have been a number of theories as to why the population has dropped. This includes over fishing, an increase in the wild eating the crab and warmer waters. The true cause as to why the population has went down remains a mystery to this day. This results in a short season of fishing jobs. In four days in the winter season of 2005-2006 there was 250 boats that caught fourteen million pounds..

If you are still looking in on the Alaskan Crab fishing job then you should know that it has its very dangerous side to it. You may not realize it but fishing jobs are actually known to be one of the most dangerous jobs to be found in the United States of America. The commercial fishing job ranked with the highest fatality rate with 118.4 fatalities per 100,000 and that was done in the year 2005 by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Crabbing jobs are known to be even more dangerous than the normal fishing jobs. These jobs have 300 fatalities per 100,000. Most of these deaths are being caused by either hypothermia or drowning.

The fishermen are also known to have injuries from the heavy equipment being used on the crab fishing jobs and some of those injuries leave them where they can never walk again. If you are still considering quitting your everyday job and becoming a fisherman then you should think twice. Yes, fishing is fun but it’s not worth it. Now if you think you are up to dealing with the potential hazards that come with the job then you should go for it but remember to stay safe.