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I am planning to take some time off work and live on Maui for at least 6 months. I would move there permanently if I could find a job in my field, mechanical engineering. My searches have not turned up nothing and I was wondering if anyone had any ideas? Note that HVAC is not my field, as I'm a design engineer, i.e. machine design, composites, automation, etc. I'm aware of Oceanit, but I do not qualify for any jobs they have posted. I would even consider other fields that would benefit from engineering skills, i.e. math, organization, computers, leadership, project management, etc. Thanks so much for any help.
I don't want to be discouraging, but if you don't have a job offer (in writing) in-hand or the kind of skills that will *immediately* set you apart from others, the chances of finding an engineering job on Maui are severely limited. Maui -- especially the tech market -- is much smaller than it may seem, and the fact that many government jobs are filled from Oahu limits options ever farther. Teaching (especially part-time) is often the best way to find your way in to the labyrinth of local jobs -- if you don't qualify immediately for something that is posted.
If you're desperate or determined to be here, it's best to be very (VERY!) flexible about what you do for a living. Especially in this economy.
Thanks for the feedback. My plan was to move there and have enough living expenses for 6 months. If I find a job then I can extend my vacation, if not then I go home. I'm still not 100% sure that island living is the life for me - that's why I'm going. However, I've vacationed on Maui every year for the last 8 and I think it is. I like the teaching idea, especially part time.
Do you live on Maui? Are you in a technical field? Where would one start to look for teaching positions? Is Kihei the right area to live in for such jobs (technical or teaching)?
As many other posters on C-D have suggested, it's usually easier to find a job here if you have a local address and phone number and are actually on-island. That said, you might want to take a place temporarily (vacation rental for 1-3+ months), and wait until you find a job to take a longer lease or buy. That way, you won't end up living a long way from where you work. There are lots of vacation rentals available with negotiated rents right now. Also some longer-term rentals who will negotiate a shorter lease with a renew option. Check the Maui News and Craigslist, but beware of rental scams. (Also the Maui News online does not have the same ads as the print version of the paper.)
I live in West Maui, but am mostly retired. Not a tech background, though. Nor a former teacher. Public school jobs are all filled from Honolulu. (Do a City-Data search for more threads and posts on this topic.) There are also private schools and Maui Community College in Kahului. Once you're here, you might also introduce yourself to local people in your field. Hawaiians are very open and generally like to talk-story. They can possibly help you get your foot in the door somewhere.
Best of luck.
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