Are there really 1000 jobs available in Kalgoorlie? As a mining specialist recruiter, we have some important news.
Kalgoorlie businesses are crying out for workers, according to a special report on Channel Seven’s Today Tonight program.
You can watch the show’s report here.
The program, which aired in early May 2018, claimed more than 700 jobs for both skilled and unskilled labour were advertised on online job search site SEEK alone, with the average salary around $100,000.
There’s just one catch – the town doesn’t need a fly-in, fly-out workforce. They’re looking for people willing to head out to the Goldfields, commit to the town, and become a part of the community.
Are there really 1000 mining jobs available in Kalgoorlie?
So, is the Today Tonight report accurate? Are there really well-paid jobs for skilled and unskilled people in Kalgoorlie?
Well, yes, there are. Both the mining industry and the allied businesses that service it are screaming out for good workers. It’s something we’ve been saying for some time.
FURTHER READING: Hundreds of mining jobs unfilled in Kalgoorlie
In September last year we reported that hundreds of jobs were going unfilled in the town. Mining People International’s General Manager of Workforce Operations in Kalgoorlie, Shane Moore, said at the time no more than 60 new candidates per month were registering their interest in a mining job in the Goldfields city, despite a huge surge in demand for workers from local mine operators.
Here’s what he had to say: “It’s across the board, skilled and unskilled. There is a lot of entry-level work available, but because we’re not getting a lot of new blood into the town, even those jobs are tough to fill or remain unfilled.”
MPi is a mining specialist recruiter with an office in Kalgoorlie, so we see exactly what’s happening on the ground. Back in 2012 around 300 new people registered with us each month. With the uptick in mining in Kalgoorlie that started in October 2016 in full swing, and with just one-fifths of the number of candidates who were available at the height of the boom, Moore said big salaries for inexperienced workers are back on the table.
“An entry-level person could earn about $28 an hour,” he said. “Working a two-weeks-on, one-week-off roster, that equates to about an $82,000 base salary.” An update here we are now seeing some of the entry level work available with hourly rates from between $30.00 & $32.00 / hour. Using the same roster as above that now equates to between $87,600 & $93,440 for base salaries / year
What sorts of mining jobs are available?
The labour shortage in Kalgoorlie extends from senior level operators to trades and technical staff. Auto-electricians, HD Fitters, Dozer Drivers, Excavator Drivers and even Dump Truck Drivers are all in very short supply
It’s almost impossible to find a mining engineer with three to five years’ experience that is residentially based.
As the Today Tonight report identified, and as mining operators in Kalgoorlie have told us repeatedly, they’re looking for residential workers, not FIFO.
So, if there’s a reason these thousand jobs remain unfilled, it’s because people just aren’t willing to relocate to Kalgoorlie for work.
FURTHER READING: What’s it like living in Kalgoorlie?
That’s despite Kalgoorlie being a major regional centre with lots who recommend it – and the mining salaries on offer being both generous and attractive.
So if you are wanting to get in to mining, you need to take serious consideration to make a move!
If you’re interested in making the move to Kalgoorlie to start or recommence your career in mining, register with MPi .