move to Anchorage (find a job, school district, living in)

[dreaming of Alaska]

I've always dreamed of moving back to Alaska. Everyone says to have a job lined up before moving but at the same time everyone says it's hard to get a job unless your already living in Alaska. Can anyone give me advice? I have my cdl but no road experience. Right now I am working for a large carpet manufacturer spotting trailers. We do drive on the road some around town. Need some advice on how to find a job.

[YellowstoneDate]

Originally Posted by dreaming of Alaska

I've always dreamed of moving back to Alaska. Everyone says to have a job lined up before moving but at the same time everyone says it's hard to get a job unless your already living in Alaska. Can anyone give me advice? I have my cdl but no road experience. Right now I am working for a large carpet manufacturer spotting trailers. We do drive on the road some around town. Need some advice on how to find a job.

You can try for seasonal jobs. Working in the summer Denali National Park. Summer Jobs and Seasonal Jobs in Great Places | CoolWorks.com
I have been to Alaska four times working seasonal jobs.

[dcbrewmeister]

Originally Posted by dreaming of Alaska

I've always dreamed of moving back to Alaska. Everyone says to have a job lined up before moving but at the same time everyone says it's hard to get a job unless your already living in Alaska. Can anyone give me advice? I have my cdl but no road experience. Right now I am working for a large carpet manufacturer spotting trailers. We do drive on the road some around town. Need some advice on how to find a job.

Not sure where you are in the -48, but if you have "no experience" driving a truck in the winter... you will be a real (deadly) danger...

Speaking from real experience from driving OTR for over 4 years, driving a truck in winter in NOTHING like driving a car.

Get some real OTR driving experience before you plan on driving where winter is a major part of the year... Your life and the people around you demand it. You are not just taking your life in your hands, but other people on the road. A lot of wrecks, car vs. truck, car loses and occupants die.

Knowledge (of killing someone) you will have to live with the rest of your life...

[Dakster]

I am going to play devil's advocate here. No disrespect DC and I know that you only have the OP's and everyone else's safety in mind. (which I sincerely appreciate)

If you never go to a place in the winter to drive a truck how do you get that experience?

There has to be driving schools/courses and companies that help you get the necessary practice and experience. A friend of mine went into OTR driving and he was teamed up with a 'training driver' for months before he was cut loose on his own. Some companies even put two experienced drivers in the same rig, so that they can run more hours of the day....

[dcbrewmeister]

No disrespect taken.

But unless you take the school in winter in a state that has winter, you won't get that experience from a school... No school in San Antonio teaches driving skills in snow... No snow...

[Dakster]

Same thing in Florida... No snow to teach on...

However, my friend got his CDL in Florida and his first job was with a nationwide OTR trucking company. His 'field training officer' made sure he got experience and training in inclement weather. Coast-to-Coast and Southern US Border-to-Northern US Border runs made this possible. He started out in the fall too... As they say timing was everything.

To the OP here is my .02. Plan to go up to AK and if you need to, wait until you can get a temp. seasonal job to help you pay for the trip up (and back if you don't like or it doesn't work out). Scope out trucking companies while you are there and make sure you get adequate winter training - either thru the company or an AK trucking school. I don't know anyone who has visited AK and said they wish they never went.

[bongo]

Anchorage School District & Forsythe are always advertising for school bus drivers in Anchorage and First Student in the Mat-Su. Plus there are tour bus driver opportunities for the summer.