Here are six questions to ask yourself if you want a job in Australia's mining industry.
Despite what you might hear about the industry’s downturn, jobs in mining are still out there.
The Australian Government Department of Employment predicted the numbers of jobs in the mining industry are going to decrease over the five years from November 2014 to November 2019.
But this was always going to occur. After all, the industry has gone through a big change, with large construction projects like Roy Hill, FMG’s Christmas Creek and Gorgon coming on line. All these projects needed lots of people in the construction phase but will need far fewer people once they are up and running.
What does this mean for people like you who want to get into the mining industry? Well, there are still jobs available; you just need to be prepared to put the effort in to find them.
So how do I get a job in mining then?
A small number of people get lucky and land a role quickly. But for most, it’s about getting organised, setting some goals, learning new skills and perhaps even getting a qualification.
Here are six questions you might like to consider as you start your mining job search:
- What do you actually know about the roles available in the mining industry?
- How prepared are you for the job hunt?
- What skills do you have that you can use in the mining industry?
- What is going to set you apart from other people applying for the same roles?
- Are you willing to move to an area where there may be more jobs than people?
- Are you willing to complete additional training?
The jobs are certainly out there for the right people. You can give yourself the best possible chance of being one of “the right people” with a can-do attitude, a willingness to work hard, and a demonstrated commitment to the industry through skills, qualifications or experience.