Muskrat Falls recruitment fair begins in Labrador

Job recruiters from Nalcor Energy are on a two-week tour of Newfoundland and Labrador, looking to hire people to work on the Muskrat Falls hydroelectric project.    

Nalcor spokesperson Roseanne Williams said major work is about to begin on the development, now that the contract to pour concrete has been awarded. Italian-based Astaldi Canada Inc. will perform the major civil work on the project.

"This is a big project which requires a very large workforce, and we are heavy in the civil trades. So we're looking for a big focus on carpenters, labourers, iron workers, operating engineers and teamsters," said Williams. 

"In the coming new year we'll actually start to see our workforce ramp up fairly quickly, and by the time we get to 2015 we'll have a workforce of about 3,300 people." 

Job fairs scheduled across province

Recruiters brought the job fair to Sheshatshiu on Wednesday.

Resident Barbara Fiddler, who is trained as an office worker, attended the fair along with about two dozen others.

Fiddler said she's looking for a new challenge.

"I might go training, like a big truck driver or something like that ... I want to do something different," said Fiddler.  

The recruitment fairs will continue in communities throughout Labrador and on the island, concluding in St. John’s on Nov. 26.  

Muskrat Falls will be the most expensive capital works project in the province's history, and will take several years to dam falls and build an 824-megawatt generating station.