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preferred candidates
Top 5 jobs in demand (nationally) being headhunted
and approached with
1. Mining engineers (underground/surface) new opportunities on

2. Geotechnical engineers a daily basis.
“This also means
3. Drill and blast operators that their salaries are
going up because
4. Heavy diesel fitters companies are doing
5. Dump truck Operators their best to try and re-
tain those staff mem-
Source: Hays Jobs Report Jan-June 2020 bers,” she said. “Min-
ing producers know
they can’t achieve any
tralia on the back of increased exploration kind of production results without having
activity in the State. those key people on site, so I reckon they’d
Hays also commented that “the supply almost be the best paid in the industry at
of underground engineers has never been the moment.”
high, yet with many gold companies believ- Hays indicated demand for mining engi-
ing the future of their production is under- neers was also high in Queensland, South
ground, demand for these professionals Australia and New South Wales and the
continues to grow”. The firm also predicts resources industry had a challenge on its RC and diamond drillers are in high
the resurgence of nickel mines in WA will hands to reclaim workers who had moved demand in WA, according to Hays
only add to this demand. interstate and/or into the manufacturing
Vermey said the dearth of qualified min- sector during the downturn. tide has turned.
ing engineers was a growing concern for Turton suggested the downturn had left “We’ve definitely seen a large increase
the industry. the mining industry bereft of professional in demand for geos,” she said. “We went
“Without doubt, it’s the biggest skills and technical workers with the minimum through a period where we hadn’t recruited
shortage in the industry. I reckon we could amount of experience. one for a good four years, whereas now
place 20 mining engineers tomorrow, the “When the downturn hit, people that with investor confidence growing there’s
talent is so scarce,” she said. might have otherwise studied for a mining definitely production geology roles being
“Companies are really crying out for min- career changed tack and enrolled in differ- recruited.
ing engineers, especially underground, and ent subjects,” he said. “The mining indus- “I think it’s a really good positive sign for
senior managers that are able to optimise try basically advertised that it didn’t want the industry, there’s a lot less geos without
operations. They want those proven skills anyone knocking on our doors for graduate employment at the moment.”
and people with a really strong understand- work.” AMMA’s forecast indicated WA will have
ing how to operate underground projects MPI managing director Steve Heather the greatest new mining workforce demand
lean and mean more than ever. said the mining industry needed to promote over the next five years, with 30 projects
“People are a lot more open to visas and itself through all phases of the investment requiring 10,679 people by 2024. Iron ore
we’ve seen quite a few are getting fast- cycle to avoid future instances of the skills accounts for 29% of this expected growth,
tracked. We brought a few guys out from shortages being felt at present. while gold, lithium and copper are strongly
the Camborne School of Mines and their vi- “When things are not going as well, we represented.
sas were approved within the month, which can still be promoting the good that min- A surge in new coal Queensland projects
definitely wouldn’t have happened this time ing does for the world to at least maintain over the next five years will require 5,714
last year.” an interest in the wider public,” Heather new employees in that State.
Vermey added the turnover of mining told Paydirt. “This would at least keep a AMMA’s report did not include 153 Aus-
engineers was also “more than ever”, with pipeline of new graduates coming through. tralian-based projects listed by the Depart-
Then education insti- ment of Industry as “possible” for develop-
ment within the aforementioned timeframe.
Forecast jobs by 2024 tutions need to speed Vermey said Acacia, which celebrated
up education deliv-
ery. In an industry like its fifth anniversary last year, had recently
8,660 mining plant operators mining with volatile experienced a shift in focus towards white
2,847 heavy diesel fitters up-down cycles, five collar and executive appointments in Aus-
tralia and North America, whereas this time
years to get some
970 trades people qualified is too last year most of the attention was on filling
similar vacancies in Africa.
(electrical/mechanical/maintenance) long.” “Even expats are returning to Australia
The downturn which
4,110 white collar crippled a large chunk more than they ever have been,” she said.
“We used to predominantly recruit a lot of
(supervisors/management/admin) of the last decade saw Australians to work overseas, now we’re
the number of employ-
4,180 engineers, technicians, geologists ment opportunities for seeing expats wanting to come home and
work back in Australia or other less riskier
qualified geologists
Source: AMMA 2019-2024 Mining Workforce quickly dry up, but jurisdictions.”
Vermey senses the – Michael Washbourne

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