Discussion:
Has anyone worked in this industry in Alaska? Anchorage specifically.

So my brother has been living and working in the aviation industry in AK for about a decade. He's been telling me that if I came up there I'd be able to get a job within an hour of getting off the plane. (Specifically the Anchorage region).

But would it be a good job? I'm near the top of the pay scale for this trade for the mid Atlantic area, and I know that the cost of living is much different up there. My brother seems to think that I could make a lot more, but would it be enough to make a net gain?

I specialize in electric machines, but with the new generation of ICEs being so heavily dependent on electronics, I don't feel out of place working on them either. Could there be enough of that type of machinery in the region to require a specialist? My fear is that the majority of the machinery is the crusty old & odd stuff that I go out of my way to avoid.

What is the commercial/ industrial culture like in the Anchorage area? Is it vibrant and up to date in relation to the lower 48, or broke and decades behind? My brother thinks it's booming, but I suspect that he can't see beyond the airport.

I've seen help wanted ads on this site for jobs in AK in the recent past, so I know something is going on up there.

I'd really like to know what knowledge the members of this forum could share about the Anchorage ,AK region forklift industry.

Thanks.
  • Posted 4 Aug 2015 22:51
  • By fixitandy
  • joined 23 Mar'09 - 81 messages
  • Pennsylvania, United States
Showing items 1 - 2 of 2 results.
thanks for the reply Bobby. I have a similar post on another forum, and its only gotten a bit more traffic than this one, I guess Alaskans aren't big internet users, LOL.

I did have one contact tell me that his employer in Fairbanks has a warehouse full late model lifts, but didn't know what make they are.
  • Posted 25 Aug 2015 09:16
  • By fixitandy
  • joined 23 Mar'09 - 81 messages
  • Pennsylvania, United States
This industry has a lot of ups and downs
Hi Andy, you didn't seem to get any reply's to your question... that probably says a a lot! I'm a UK retired tec, and just had a holiday there in Anchorage and we drove down to Skagway and back and also up to Fairbanks. In general things look prosperous, modern trucks on the road, everybody we met seemed happy enough, The winter will be pretty rough and dark and cold, maybe you should think of that. I guess your brother works in a warm hanger at the airport. You will get a nice cold loading bay to work on, and then have to chain up to get to the next call.
Sorry I can't give you any positive information, go up for a holiday and have a look around, you will enjoy Anchorage I'm sure buddy
Dave
  • Posted 25 Aug 2015 05:33
  • By BobbyT
  • joined 25 Dec'08 - 31 messages
  • Wilts, United Kingdom

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