New Frontier Lures Detroit Autoworkers

As Employees Lose Their Jobs, Booming Energy Industry In Wyoming Calls

(CBS)  Wyoming is the land of wide open spaces, and a wide open job market. Thanks to a booming energy industry, there are 6,000 more jobs in the state than people, reports CBS News correspondent Cynthia Bowers.

The need for workers is so urgent, Wyoming has put up "help wanted" signs in places you would never expect, like the hard-hit state of Michigan. About 1,300 applicants lined up at the latest job fair put on by Wyoming businesses.

Facing a possible lay-off at the end of this month, Ford worker Russ Cline and his wife Michelle are giving serious thought to packing up their four children and moving 1,400 miles away to become what amounts to modern-day pioneers.

"I'm really proud to be a Ford worker. It just seems that it might be my time, our time, the Cline family's time, to make a change," Russ says.

"The main thing is that we need something that's going to sustain us forever," Michelle adds.

Even though the idea didn't sit well with the kids at first, they seem to understand the scary ups-and-downs surrounding their dad's job.

"I actually forgot Wyoming was a state," Kendall Cline says, giggling.

"If we move to Wyoming we'll have chances of my parents making money and we'd have a better life," Finley Cline says.

In Michigan, the unemployment rate now tops 7 percent. Over the last six years, nearly one-fourth — or 262,000 — of the state's manufacturing jobs have disappeared, and in the Detroit area alone nearly 14,000 white collar jobs have been eliminated.

White collar workers, with numerous years of experience at GM, thought they'd be safe until retirement, but they weren't.

"This is like you're married for 26 years and all of a sudden your spouse came up to you one day, unannounced, and said, 'We're done,'" Dave Kepsal says.

Kepsal is one of hundreds who've sought help from psychologist Donna Rockwell.

"People tie so much of their identity into what they do for a living that it's really a shock to the ego when they get fired," Rockwell says. "They have to re-invent themselves. It's very difficult."

But it may be a little easier for blue collar workers because in today's new land of opportunity, Wyoming is looking for machinists, welders, and truck drivers, all jobs Russ Cline would be happy to have.

"It's my job to take care of my family and I'll do whatever it takes to makes sure…I get that done," Russ says. "Even picking them up and moving them across the country and having my stomach churning the whole way."

For the Clines, the only certainty is that whatever future they build for themselves, they'll be building it together.

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You can find out more about job loss resources at The Michigan School for Professional Psychology.

Union Pacific Railroad has an employment outreach program to automotive workers in Detroit. You can read more about it here.

[bridger82923]

I live near Pinedale Wyoming where we have seen unbelievable growth in the last couple of years due to the new gas field development. Housing and land prices have skyrocketed to the ridiculous. You may find a job here but good luck finding someplace to live. The winters are long and the nearest fast food in 150 mile round trip. We used to have one the most beautiful and unspoiled places in the US....not any more.

[ryindy]

Vacationed there a few years ago. The Rockies, the Grand Tetons, the Big Horn Mountains, Jackson Hole, an entire state that is beautiful beyond words. It truly is GOD's country in the summer.

Experience the state with caution though, winters can be as brutal as New England. The Grand Tetons usually show ice caps in July.

[jinx94]

Wy is a beautiful place to live. No income tax which is a big plus. In addition, their is program set up to pay for your children's college for all Wy residents, full ride! Who would want that for thier children. They are thousands of jobs here paying excellent wages. There should be no reason why those who are struggling to find a job to not look here.

I live in southwestern Wyoming. There's a sign in our local library that reads "There are more places in Wyoming where nobody is than there are places in Wyoming where somebody is." That probably won't be true for long but a lot of us like it that way.