North Dakota has the fastest job growth and lowest unemployment in the nation. Thanks to oil and gas exploration many are taking advantage of the many opportunities available.

For example, workers with no experience are making $120,000 a year in wages, according to a national business magazine. Additional reports show oil workers are making an average of $90,000 a year while other employment wages fluctuate within the industry. In Williston, entry level jobs at gas stations, convenience stores and McDonalds are paying workers $12.50 - $15.00 an hour in year 2011. In the same year, cooks and housekeepers easily made $1,000 - $1,500 a week in wages plus generous tips from workers in the area.

The state of North Dakota has a new budget surplus of $800 million and that surplus is expected to grow. Some of the budget dollars will be used for roads and highways and other related purposes. Much of the surplus will help create jobs throughout the state.

North Dakota tribal member is part of workforce in state
Nessa Lavallie, a 20 year old equipment operator for Baranco Bros. Inc. and a 2010 high school graduate from the Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa, is one of the Native Americans in the state who have taken advantage of the employment opportunities. Her employment is seasonal and during the months she doesn't perform construction, she is back at the Turtle Mountain doing auto mechanical work. She has done such tasks since childhood.

For Lavallie, having the initiative to work - helped her gain employment. Her mom Tanya stated Nessa wanted to see where her father worked. So one day they went to Dickinson. After showing interest in operating heavy equipment the person in charge hired her. Her mom stated: "The boss there said to hire her. She looked like she wasn't afraid to work he said. She surprised a lot of the guys there."

But right before Lavallie was hired, her curiosity landed her in the seat of a large haul truck. When asked, a worker said she could go hang out with him on the job site. Lavallie watched the operator and after bit, asked if she could try taking the controls. She operated the large articulated dump truck and did what the other off-road drivers were doing. It was then the Superintendent seen her and hired her to haul gravel.

She has also operated other heavy equipment. Compaction machines, tractors and even a scraper. When Lavallie goes back to work after lay-off season she will be operating a scraper again after she participates in a company refresher course -- which is a requirement of the employer.

Tribal involvement
The Turtle Mountain Tribe, of which Lavallie is a member, has about 40 percent of people living below the poverty level and a 70 percent workforce, according to the 2000 census. Jobs are limited on the reservation and the Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa Tribal Employment Rights Office (TERO) Director Rick Davis said many tribal members have been part of the state's workforce.

He recently explained there were a little more than 120 oil rig workers working in the state's oil patch. "That's just oil rigs alone," he said. His office works with other agencies to employ tribal workers throughout the state. In the near future he said the Tribe will host a job fair. "Our job fairs attracts a lot of people," he said.

Because of the oil boom taking place in North Dakota, job creation has expanded in a number of areas. The state currently has a 3 percent unemployment rate and some of the highest paid labor in the country.

The willingness to work
Lavallie stated people have to be willing to work if they want to be part of the state's workforce. Most of her job skills today were learned because a company was willing to give her a chance to learn different aspects of her employment and her initiative to learn.

When Lavallie started working in construction her skills were limited. She said: "When I started out working construction I didn't know anything about heavy equipment. I got hired laying gravel at $16 an hour. After learning more about equipment I asked the foreman to learn how to run a scraper. They were short on Scraper hands so they decided to let me learn." She said her operator pay was bumped up to $20 bucks an hour and she'll get a raise when she goes back to work.

One of the hardships of getting a job and working in North Dakota has been the lack of housing. State officials have been collaborating with employers to create a solution. Some of the solutions have been to build man camps or temporary housing. Workers in Lavallie's situation have been staying in campers otherwise.

Delvin Cree is a freelance journalist. He is a contributor/commentator to indianz.com and Indian Country Today Media Network. Both are national news outlets for Indian Country.