Jobs in Rifle, CO (Denver, Grand Junction: rental, college, to live in)

[Bhaalspawn]

How are things in Rifle, Colorado? I heard an audio clip on NPR where it was reported that the city's economy was essentially exploding and that employers couldn't find employees fast enough as a result of a natural gas drilling boom.

Is that accurate? What's the pay like for those jobs and is it possible to find rental housing in the area? Are any particular skills or background needed for those jobs or would merely having a college education and a solid work history be sufficient?

[COflower]

From the reports in The Denver Post it's a hopping place, for sure. Money is good if you are a roughneck but housing is extremely tight because of the energy boom but also because people can't afford to live in the Roaring Fork Valley - which is pretty much defined as Aspen down through Carbondale to Glenwood Springs and the New Castle area. Many people make the commute from Rifle to those areas for work oddly enough.

As for skills and such, you may want to do a bit of research through the various newspaper websites in the area including Grand Junction.

Keep in mind that Rifle is a pretty small town. It's going through huge growing pains for it's size. Many people do their larger shopping in Glenwood or in Grand Junction. Grand Junction is the best bet really as it has more to offer than Glenwood.

You may want to contact their chamber of commerce. Rifle Colorado Vacation, Rifle CO Lodging, Colorado Getaway, Rifle Area Chamber of Commerce, Garfield County and have them send out some information.

Good luck and I hope that helps a bit.

EDIT: here's their local newspaper: Rifle Citizen Telegram (broken link)

[Wyomiles]

I lived there just as the gas boom was starting. I loved Rifle, great little town, but it is growing real fast now. Most of the time , when the boom is on the employers will take anybody who is drug free. Some of these jobs, maybe most, are really tough , long hours. So be ready to work hard. Skills are mechanical, driving, equipment operation. When the drilling gets done and the pipelines are all in, the work turns towards more operational where the skills include some computer and managerial stuff.

[flipp70]

So how does a guy go about getting hired on as a roughneck? I am very interested in this work but don't see any jobs posted in your newspaper. I'm interested in moving there from Denver and would like to get into oilfield work. My wife is an exec here in Denver and we are just tired of the ratrace as they say. Ready to slow down a bit.
Any suggestions?

[nathan yudnich]

Originally Posted by Wyomiles

I lived there just as the gas boom was starting. I loved Rifle, great little town, but it is growing real fast now. Most of the time , when the boom is on the employers will take anybody who is drug free. Some of these jobs, maybe most, are really tough , long hours. So be ready to work hard. Skills are mechanical, driving, equipment operation. When the drilling gets done and the pipelines are all in, the work turns towards more operational where the skills include some computer and managerial stuff.

drug free... or pass a drug test

those guys out there are real dirt kickers

everyone is always like go work on a rig. 20+$ and hour, weeks on weeks off, mounths on mounths off.

sounds so atractive lol

Riles towns counsel, airnt they getting over rules by jerks in the industry that are exploiting the land.

dont do it! do go!

...na i dont care really, **** riles bad? aspen had that hole thing on the police chief go down.

and people actualy made a big deal out of it!

riles, you can plunder a village, and its all good

its crazy

[5stones]

for jobs I'd check with Halliburton. Their trucks tearing are all over I-70.
It had been 2 years since I last visited the area around Grand Junction and the gas well buisness is certinly booming.