Nalcor ads aim for Fort McMurray workers

Nalcor is launching a new recruiting campaign aimed at workers from Newfoundland and Labrador working out in Alberta.

Karen O'Neill, head of communications with Nalcor, said the energy corporation is targeting people from the province working in the trades who still live here, but also those who travel to Fort McMurray for work.

O'Neill said Nalcor will be launching TV and web ads, as well as placing posters in the Fort McMurray airport and other spots where travelling workers will see them.

"We know that there's a significant number of qualified workers currently in Newfoundland and Labrador," she said.

"We also know that we have Newfoundlanders and Labradorians right across Canada, and we have competitive jobs, a competitive project, and we want to go and target those Newfoundlanders and Labradorians to come home, and that's part of this ad campaign as well."

O'Neill said the hiring strategy will first look for qualified workers in the Innu Nation in Labrador, followed by Labradorians, Newfoundlanders, workers in the rest of Canada, and then foreign workers if they still cannot find workers to fill certain skill requirements.

According to O'Neill, project employment will peak in 2015 during construction will about 3,300 jobs.

Starting in January 2014, the TV ads will also play on Air Canada's in-flight entertainment system.