Taloyoak (Dec 11/06) - Taloyoak students are excited about their future.

Last week, the school hosted a job fair, and the talk of the town was the new Miramar gold mine.

With little in the way of jobs in Taloyoak, students were happy to find an employment option closer to home. After all, everybody can't work for the hamlet.

"It was good, I looked around in the gym and found Miramar," said Nancy Aqqaq.

Aqqaq, 21, will be graduating next year. With that date looming, she wants a job.

"I'm thinking about the environmental tech course at Arctic College. It sounds interesting," said Aqqaq.

Miramar estimated in February that there would be 68 jobs during construction of the Doris North gold mine, and 149 once the mine opens. They are aiming for 40 per cent Inuit employment, and that sits fine with Aqqaq.

"There are going to be jobs, and they said that most of the people will be Inuit," said Aqqaq.

Andy Aklah graduates later this month, and is ready for a career. His trip to the job fair ended up the same way as Aqqaq's, at the Miramar table.

"I want to do either carpentry or small engine repair," Aklah said. "The Miramar thing was the biggest, there are lots of jobs there."

Aklah is 18-years-old (he turns 19 on Dec. 19) and says the proposed mine is the talk of Taloyoak.

"People talk about it a lot, most of my friends want to get into the mine. They want to get into the mines more than anything else," he said.

Work at the mine will mean weeks of work at a time, followed by weeks off. Both students think that is fine.

"I'd go for three weeks on and one week off, I don't like to sit around," said Aklah.

Aqqaq added, "It would be great. I'd get to be out of home, and then come back."