Elves worth every penny
Santa is no stingy boss. He keeps his army of employees, no matter how small and pointy-toed they are, well paid.
A lot goes into a big operation like North Pole-based Toyland. If workers start feeling underappreciated and disgruntled, they might just fly south and, worse yet, take the toys with them.
“Santa is an equal opportunity employer and has a long tradition of being one of the highest-paying employers on the North Pole, if not the entire Arctic Circle,” says Shawn Boyer, chief executive officer of SnagAJob.com, an online job site that focuses specifically on hourly jobs.
The good news is you don’t have to travel all the way to the North Pole to get the kind of good jobs needed to keep Santa’s operation running.
Boyer knows this because he’s studied this. SnagAJob this year released the 2006 Elf Wage Index, which offers a first-time glimpse into all the positions at the North Pole and what they pay. From reindeer handlers to high-tech toy makers, jobs and pay vary. But one thing is the same for all: great benefits.
The List Keeper (aka database administrator)
- For Santa: This is the person who tracks all that data on who’s been naughty and nice, what toys the kids want and where they live.
- Outside Toyland: The database administrator works with systems software to organize and store data. With large volumes of data being generated, this is the person who knows how to manage and extract data effectively.
- Training: Many employers look for workers with a bachelor’s degree in computer science, information science, or management information systems.
- Hourly wage: $30.41.
High-tech Toy Maker (aka computer-controlled machine tool operator)
- For Santa: This new generation of elves knows all about high-tech gadgetry and machinery, and can make video game systems and iPods.
- Outside Toyland: They use computer-controlled machines to cut and shape precision products, like automobile parts, machine parts and compressors.
- Training: It depends on the employer and the job but can include everything from apprenticeship programs and informal on-the-job training to secondary, vocational and postsecondary schooling.
- Hourly wage: $15.41.
Sleigh Traffic Controller (aka air traffic controller)
- For Santa: “This is the person who maps out the pilot’s course,” says Boyer. “They get paid quite well.”
- Outside Toyland: The Federal Aviation Administration employs nearly all air traffic controllers. They coordinate the movement of air traffic to ensure planes stay a safe distance apart. Their immediate concern is safety, but controllers also direct planes to minimize delays.
- Training: Prospects must enroll in an FAA-approved education program and pass a pre-employment test that measures ability to learn a controller’s duties.
- Hourly wage: $50.88.
Candy Maker (aka sugar and confectionery manufacturer)
- For Santa: The elf who makes candy canes to hang on trees and chocolate to stuff into stockings.
- Outside Toyland: The food manufacturing industry links raw products with consumers by processing them into finished goods. What they make – in this case bags of sugar and sugar-laced products – then is ready for the grocer or wholesaler to sell to households, restaurants or institutional food services.
- Training: Most employers require little or no training. A high school education is preferred.
- Hourly wage: $10.82.
Reindeer Handler (aka animal trainer)
- For Santa: They train the reindeer, teaching them not only how to land and take off but where to fly. May also teach a certain reindeer how to blink his red nose.
- Outside Toyland: They train animals for riding, security, performance, obedience or assisting people with disabilities. They work in a variety of settings from stables to zoos.
- Training: Most are trained on the job, but employers prefer those who have experience with animals. Some jobs require a degree in biology or animal science.
- Hourly wage: $14.19.