The right place for a welder and a teacher? (Anchorage: house, rent)

[MsPiggy]

Hey y'all,

I'm not in any position to do anything but daydream at this point, but my partner and I are looking to move in the next few years. I think Alaska would be a great fit for us, but jobs are a big factor that needs to be considered first. as alluring as alaska is, we are definitely not just going to fly by the seat of our pants.

some background info: I am 28 and in six months will have a master's in special education (although I already have an elem/spec ed provisional teaching license). He is almost 50 and has had a small (one man) welding/fabricating/pipefitting business for about four years, after a 25 year career as a millwright for a pharmaceutical company. He is well-regarded in the area and is incredibly busy with no shortage of work. In fact, he is the hardest working person I've ever known, in spite of a motorcycle accident in his 20s that left him with a really effed-up ankle. He could be on disability if he wanted but he refuses and continues to work a lot harder than guys my age and younger (which is no surprise given that most young people don't want to work or get their hands dirty). But he DOES want to settle down a bit. He's also a volunteer fireman and was offered a job building firetrucks, but he likes being his own boss at this point and would prefer not to work for someone else. does anyone have any insight on job prospects for someone with his skills?

In general, we are very independent people. We like solitude but he's definitely more sociable than I am. Politically, we're probably libertarian, and he's more conservative than I am. We've got cats and a dog and no kids (yet or ever!). We love wildlife and the outdoors, especially kayaking, fishing, and biking--we've both got Harleys too, but it's too **** congested around here (NJ) to ride anywhere decent anyway.

Basically, we want to be in a place where we can make a contribution to the community. We don't want a lot of rain (by that I mean no southeast), and we'd like to be somewhere near the coast (I'm thinking Kenai peninsula area or proximity to Anchorage). I want to find a job as a special ed teacher but it needs to be in an area where he can find work too, even if it means going to work for someone else. Any thoughts? At this point, it's either Maine or Alaska.

[archytype]

Wont happen unless you live in the Arctic. I live on the peninsula and it rains on the coast all the time, especially in the last few years. I am not trying to talk you out of moving here but if you want dryer conditions try the Mat-Su Valley or Fairbanks although not near the coast they are very nice places. As far as jobs for welders from what I know any coastal town would be good because of all the ships and fishing boats. Also, there is a lot of construction in the Anchorage area... Always a need for good teachers but it seems to be fairly contentious up here right now between the municipalities and the teachers union. Check out the Anchorage Daily News.

[MsPiggy]

thanks for giving me some info. Yes, I've been following the news but I'm naively hoping everything will work out and employment conditions will be ideal by the time I'm ready to move, wherever it may be. HAH!
and maybe I read the stats wrong, but I did a comparison of annual precipitation between kenai and my town and it looks like we get a lot more rain on average. or maybe that was just last year with all the flooding we had.
anyway--alaska? not today's problem. just a pie in the sky fantasy of mine that I am trying to get a dose of reality about!

[BudinAk]

Archytype is correct in stating many of the welding jobs will be in coastal cities, where there are boats and ships. I live in Seward, on the south tip of the Kenai Peninsula, and used to work in the shipyard here (Seward Ship's Drydock). They seem to be ALWAYS in need of both welders and millwrights. You could do a search of their website for more info. to find out. Don't know about jobs for teachers here tho. We get a considerable amount of rain here in the fall...Sept, Oct., but the summer months are gorgeous, and the close proximity of mountains makes for back-yard views you won't believe...
I would recommend your first year in Ak that you rent, not buy, a home...because after you are here a few months you'll have a better idea of where you want to be...nothing worse than making payments on a house in a city you don't want to be in...

[Rance]

And it seems to rain just as much up here on the Arctic coast as anywhere in the state. I work on the north slope. It's been said it is a desert here. But there is always alot of snow in the winter and when it rains it pours in the summer! :-)

[Unhappycamper]

Well, I can't speak much for Alaska but I am from Maine and it rains here too. Recently its been too warm for snow (67 degrees two weeks ago). But in Maine your partner can easily get a welding job at Bath Iron Works building battleships and such. There are alot schools around so you can get a job pretty easily I feel.