My wife and I have been batting around the idea of moving to Alaska once our son is on his own - sometime in the next 5 or 6 years. We're in our late thirties, I'm a network engineer and SQL DBA, and my wife is a librarian. I've also been a pilot for 16 years, and will shortly have my commercial, instrument and seaplane ratings -- so I could either work in IT or aviation.

What is the job situation like in AK - namely in areas near Juneau, Anchorage and Fairbanks? We'd like to be able to live several miles outside of any urbanized area, but not so far that we have to fly in. (Personally, I wouldn't mind that, but my wife is a little less reclusive than me. [}:d]

Also, please tell me that pantywaist liberals are scarce up there too . . .

hey!! i may be a pantie waiste! but i aint no liberal..

hey.. i dont even live in AK.. why am i posting this?? IDK either..


time to shut up now

I'm an LEO living in Valdez.  I lived in Fairbanks for four years before that and I travel to Anchorage a lot.  Never been to Juneau.  As far as employment goes I think you'd be better off with Anchorage; it's quite a bit larger than the other two. Start looking at Alyeska (the oil pipeline corporation). I think they have a web site.  They pay WELL and it's usually tough to get a job but if you have 5 or 6 years...

As far as flying goes, Fairbanks has the best weather in the summer but it's freakin' cold in the winter.  It stays well below 0 for the majority of the season with short stretches of 40 below.  Anchorage is not quite as cold but the summers aren't quite as nice either.  Juneau is one of the rainiest places on earth from what I've been told by someone who lived in Juneau most of his life.  

Anchorage and Fairbanks are also both on the road system which is nice if you want to travel at all or just get out of town.  In Juneau you would have to fly into Anchorage to fly out of state and the tickets are pretty expensive.

As far as the liberals go, I think we're better off than most any other state with maybe the exception of Texas.  Juneau is the capital so all of the politicians spend their time there.  Anchorage is probably the one place in AK most similiar to big cities in the lower 48 so you get the same big city politics.  Fairbanks is basically supported by an Army base, mining, the Pipeline, and the college so it's a pretty conservative place.

Hope I've been of some help and if you have any other questions just ask!

Eskimo pussy is cold....brrrrr

Thanks for your input!

I am leaving the Fairbanks area in 13 days you can take my spot lol

28 years of interior Alaska cold is enough I am on my way to Arizona.

Anchorage has the largest small plane airport in the world. Lots of work in aviation.

Oh yeah almost forgot:

fschoening
Junior Member

AL,  US
3 Posts

Alaska is AK Bro!

Have fun working traffic at Allison point this summer.


Hunter out...

Flying is not my profession, but I have heard good things recently for job hunters.

While Anchorage and the bush have liberals, they are indistinguishable from conservatives on the gun issue.  I have never heard of antigun activity in this state.  Most of the anti stuff is directed by out of state posie sniffer organizations out to milk easy issues (aerial predator control) to naive voters.

As a mechanical designer in the oil industry in alaska for some time, try for Alyeska but dont count on it.

The only good jobs youll get there is mechanical or instrament (electrical) engineering.

There are great computer places in Anchorage like "alaska computer brokers".

Best bet is to get online and make sure you have a job lined up, for the cost of the move will be well over $1000.00 at least. And I'm single.

DO NOT, AND I REPEAT, DOOOO NOTTT JUST SHOW UP EXPECTING GETTING A JOB IN NO TIME!

By the way, it cost bunches to get your firearms there.  Canada does not allow assault weapons or hollowpoints in their country. So you have to send it FFL.

WTF? Fly to Anchorage to leave the state? From Juneau??? Have you been eatin the yellow snow?? Daily, there are many flights from Juneau to Sea-Tac, both non-stop and with stop-over.

PS: For information on the 'cheap seats' for a seattle-juneau flight I'd call Alaska Airlines, and request a reservation on their 'fare specific flight'.