Are you looking for a fresh start, or maybe a new career in Oil and gas jobs? How would you like to live in a state that has not only no personal income tax at all, but actually PAYS its residents dividends on oil income, as well? Alaska may be the place for you to start your new career!
There are several aspects of working in Alaska that you will want to be aware of before you decide to make the move there. The cost of living is generally higher than in the contiguous 50 states, as it costs a lot more logistically to provide products and services to residents. However, the Federal government and many other Alaskan employers provide as much as a 25% cost of living stipend as a supplement to pay, especially for postal workers.
Alaska has a very robust economy by any measure. Its GDP is the 7th largest in the US, due predominantly to vast energy reserves in the form of coal, oil, and natural gas. (Good prospects for GIS Jobs, right?) Alaskas other major export is seafood- perhaps you have seen the Deadliest Catch on the Discovery channel? Most other agricultural products of Alaska are consumed within the borders of the state, however. There also are not a lot of manufacturing jobs in Alaska either; however, government, military, shipping and transportation are major employers in our northernmost state. The Federal Government subsidizes many aspects of Alaskas state economy in an effort to keep taxes low.
Remember how I said that the Alaskan government would pay you to live there? Well, in 1976 something called the Alaska Permanent Fund was established. This fund, which began with less than a million dollars in assets, has grown to 38 billion dollars. Every year for the last 25 years, the fund has paid dividends out to all residents that have lived there for 11 months or more- 5 percent of the fund every year is distributed evenly among all residents, ranging from about 330 dollars in 1984 to about 2000 dollars in 2000.
One thing that can be admittedly very difficult about living in Alaska is the road system- much of the states road and highway infrastructure remains undeveloped. The state capital, Juneau, isnt even accessible by road- you have to take a car ferry to get there! If you live in the Western part of the state (the side closest to Russia) you are virtually unconnected by road to the rest of Alaska and North America, as well. This has led to a thriving “bush pilot” industry, with freelance small airplane pilots ferrying people and supplies about to remote locations in the state. A fun alternative form of transportation is the dog sled- chances are that if you live there, you will use one of these at some point!
Well, thats just some of the information available out there for working in Alaska. If you decide to take Fisheries Jobs there, no one can say you did not know what you were in for! Good luck in your job search, and hopefully you will find your ideal job in no time.
