Things continue to boom in Williston, N.D., with unemployment rates that continue to hover around two percent, and at any given time, more than 1,200 job openings are available in the Williston area.
North Dakota might be the place to look for a lucrative new job, as people all across the U.S. are scrambling to mark their territory in the town of Williston, which used to have a registered population of around 13,000. The population has jumped to 25,000 in fewer than three years.
The unregistered population is still unknown, but according to former NIC business major and current Williston construction worker Derrick Fry, 21, “It’s been said to be well over 100,000 in a combined population.”
Fry had three years of experience in the construction field before he moved to Williston in late September.
“I drove down to Williston with no job and slept in the Wal-Mart parking lot,” said Fry. “The next day I got the job and began working.”
Almost 60 years ago, the discovery of oil was made in the small town, which gave it a giant leap for employment. In 2004, horizontal drilling began in Williston which allowed for further drilling projects.
Not only did the breakthrough open jobs in the oil industry, but it paved the way for tons of other jobs in the retail, construction and food industries. Business is exploding and employers are desperate for workers with and without experience.
According to Fry, with his experience, he landed a six-figure income, and gets to work for a month straight then take a week off to come back home. He stated that McDonald’s is hiring at $15 per hour with a $500 sign-on bonus plus full benefits. Competing companies like Taco John’s are hiring at a whopping $17 per hour. Many positions from entry-level to experienced in all types of businesses are ready to be filled.
“Housing is near impossible to find,” Fry said. “I recommend that people join the man camps like I did because if you live in a man camp your rent is taken care of.”
According to the NY Times, the definition of a man camp is temporary housing compounds that support enormous male work force that is flooding the region in search of refuge from a stormy economy, and have up to 3,700 residents in each of them.
Families of the workers struggle with long distance relationships.
“It’s difficult having my husband away, said Heather Johnson, NIC Admissions recruiter. “We have a 17 month old baby, and it’s been a constant struggle for her to understand why her daddy is not coming home each night.”
With the husband at work, it leads to more tasks and new routines at home.
“It’s a lonely feeling,” said Johnson. “With my husband gone I now have to add more responsibilities onto my plate like shoveling snow. It’s hard because you are so used to your old routine that you then have to change it to make it so those tasks get completed.”
Amount of jobs available continue to surprise everyone.
“It is extremely crazy with the amount of jobs that were created, and amount of people that moved here,” said Fry. “Who would have ever thought it would all evolve this much just due to oil being found.”
“My goal is to own a house that is paid in full by next year, said Fry.
