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neWs

Skills shortage spells

salary surge

he mining sector’s skills shortage has ing to get their elbows out. “pragmatic thinkers” due to their hunger
Tcreated a “once-in-a-career” market “Employees’ expectations are growing to enact social change.
and employees can expect to see salary faster. In a job-rich, candidate-poor mar- Alkane Resources Ltd managing di-
growth follow, according to the latest re- ket, they feel more assured of their worth rector Nic Earner said he was aware of
port from recruitment firm Hays. and have prioritised a pay rise,” Kent the sector’s inability to retain new and
Hays’ FY2023 Salary Guide forecasts said. “In such a market, the No.1 ques- younger workers, but he expects that to
up to 86% of mining employers are plan- tion we’re asked by employers is how to change with the rise of battery minerals.
ning to increase workers’ salaries. This stand out as their preferred candidate’s “For young people coming into the
is a significant wage growth compared first choice.” sector, we broadly suffer from a view
to last financial year where 57% of em- This much has been demonstrated in that…there’s something negative about
ployers decided to boost salaries. Hays Australia over the recent years with em- mining,” Earner told Paydirt. “This is
also predicts 36% of employers to in- ployers struggling to recruit new, young- even though a lot of new jobs are in bat-
crease employee salaries by at least 3% er workers. Global research published tery minerals like copper or lithium.
or more. “It’s really good to see that sec-
There are a number of factors tor rising because it may help
at play here, but the data dictates Top 5 in demand mining skills shape the perception that pulls
the sector’s skills shortage to young men and women into min-
be the primary contributor. Up 1) Geologists (mine and exploration) ing, mineral processing and even
to 73% of mining employers in- 2) Mine Surveyors downstream value adding.
volved in the research attribute “Coal, oil and gas have been the
the skills shortage as their rea- 3) Underground Mine Engineers engine room for so many profes-
soning to spend more cash on 4) Electricians (auto electricians, E&I & HV) sionals and that has become the
retaining their workforce. sponsorship of students’ views
Mining professionals are ex- 5) HD Fitters that are negative. We need some-
pected to welcome this wage thing else to take its place.”
growth with Hays reporting 77% Source: Hays Kent said employers should
of them feeling a 3% increase to consider offering additional ben-
salary would reflect individual perfor- by BDO in March said the sector’s nega- efits other than salary to prospective
mance and skills demand. tive stigma surrounding environmental- Gen-Z recruits.
According to the research, the most ism, among other concerns, was a major “Intense competition for skilled profes-
in-demand skills are geologists, mine factor for Generation Z shying away from sionals will translate into gradual salary
surveyors, underground engineers, elec- the sector. increases this coming financial year,” he
tricians and HD fitters. Other concerns include job security, said.
Hays mining regional director Chris work-life balance, career progression, “We suggest that today’s skills short-
Kent said the majority of employers were financial reward and social purpose. age presents an opportunity to define a
feeling the brunt of a lack of qualified The BDO research outlined a startling new equation in the world of work. Sal-
personnel. decrease in Gen-Z workers interested ary increase budgets only extend so
“Already 98% are far, so consider the full
camouflaged “
experiencing a skills value exchange for each
shortage and 97% say role. Along with salary,
it will impact the effec- Employees’ expectations are growing consider benefits such
tive operation or growth faster. In a job-rich, candidate-poor as upskilling, career pro-
plans of their organi- gression, purpose, and
sation,” he said. “Pre- market, they feel more assured of their worth the relationship employ-
viously and have prioritised a pay rise ers have with their em-
by skilled migration, ployees.”
and further impacted
by headcount growth, – Fraser Palamara
skills shortages have reached a level un- in the industry, with only 15% of total re-
matched in our years in recruitment and spondents intending to enter the sector.
has sparked deliberate salary increases Some 42% of businesses in the survey
from employers.” also said they found it difficult attracting
As potential employees have tradition- and keeping young graduates employed
ally sought ways to stand out amongst under them.
their peers to earn the top job, it is in fact The research also described Gen-
the mining sector’s employers now hav- Z workers as “cautious altruists” and

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