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Posted May 03, 2018 06:04:23 A miner in northwestern Ontario, where the cryptocurrency mining industry has exploded in recent years, is looking for a new job.
And the answer might just surprise you.
“We need a lot of people to come in, so there’s really a need for people to learn about it and get involved,” said Jason Harkness, the founder of the Bitcoin Mining Club, a local Bitcoin exchange that operates as an online community for miners.
“I’d like to see people working in the mining field.”
Harkness is one of thousands of local Bitcoin miners who have taken to social media and the media to advertise their jobs.
They’ve offered jobs ranging from entry-level to the highest-level positions, with salaries as high as $100,000.
But it’s the second-highest-paying job on offer at the club, and that could be a blessing or a curse.
“This is a place for people who can really work, people who really want to learn more about Bitcoin,” said Andrew Zweifel, a member of the group.
“It’s not just about the work,” he added.
“It’s about the people.”
Zweifell, who also runs the Bitcoin Community in Ontario website, says the mining industry in Ontario has grown exponentially in the last few years.
“There’s a lot more people who are into this, who are looking for it, and this is the first time that it’s been available for people.”
The Canadian Bitcoin Association (CBCA), a trade group for Bitcoin miners, says it has found more than 1,000 job openings in the province, mostly in the Niagara region, including in rural areas.
Zweinel says they’ve also heard from people in other parts of Ontario, including Quebec, which has more than 30,000 Bitcoin miners.CBCA’s Zweifiel says the industry has grown quickly in Ontario because there’s a lack of information about it, including job postings.
“There’s really not a lot to go on,” he said.
“So if people can get the information they need, and they’re willing to come forward, that’s really good for the Bitcoin community.”
The mining community is a small but growing one in northern Ontario, and Zweifer said he’d like it to grow even larger.
He says there’s enough people who know about Bitcoin mining to get more than 100 jobs a month.
“If we can have the number of people who have a lot knowledge of this that can really help the community grow, then that’s a good thing,” he explained.
“That’s the goal, I guess.”
But it’s a challenge to make the most of a new currency.
Harknes says the price of bitcoin has dropped by more than 80% over the past year, making it a less desirable option than other alternatives.
“Right now, the only way you can make a profit from this currency is by selling the currency,” he told CBC News.
“So it’s hard to say how that will play out in the future.”
Zwerel said the industry needs to do more to ensure that its employees are well compensated, and to encourage people to take jobs in the industry.
“A lot of it is the job description, the amount of hours you have to work, and the pay,” he advised.
“Those are the things that are really, really important to people.”
But some members of the mining community have already decided to take a different route.
“People need to know more about it,” said Harkens father, Doug Harknesses.
“If we do something, we’re going to do it because it’s what we love to do.”
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