In this month’s poll we’re asking what it would take for you to consider swapping the FIFO way of life for a residential mining job in Kalgoorlie.
Kalgoorlie, the historic heart of Western Australia’s mining industry, still offers excellent opportunities for those who want a career in the mines. Yet it struggles to attract a workforce now used to the fly-in fly-out lifestyle.
In this month’s Mining People poll, we’re taking a close look at why that is, and what it would take for mining industry employees to consider swapping the FIFO way of life for a residential mining job in WA’s Goldfields.
It’s a topic that has been back in the news of late (although it has been a longstanding issue), thanks in part to civic leaders in some of WA’s most important mining centres publicly lamenting the impact of FIFO operations on their communities. As Kalgoorlie Mayor John Bowler puts it: “We’re providing the jobs, but people are flying in and going back to the city at the end of their stint and taking their wages with them”.
Making the case for Kalgoorlie
Over the years we’ve written a lot about the benefits and the wonderful lifestyle on offer in Kalgoorlie, in order to demystify the town a bit. We’ve shared the experiences and views of both long-term residents and those who moved to Kalgoorlie more recently to take up residential mining jobs.
Despite the hundreds of great job opportunities in the town — both for those looking to get their start in mining and those who have worked in the industry for years — we’ve often found a reluctance on the part of candidates to make the move.
There are lots of reasons given for this reluctance: “uprooting the family” and the distance from support networks, or a perceived lack of amenities, like high-end shops and quality schools. But a lot of these opinions are based on assumptions, rather than reality — and many people who dismiss a move to Kalgoorlie have never been there to see the lifestyle, facilities and quality of life it offers.
Take our poll and tell us what you think
So, in this month’s poll we wanted to explore that reluctance a little and see how flexible it might be. We’re asking the question, “what would it take for you to move to Kalgoorlie for a mining job?” We’ve got a range of ideas for potential incentives for you to choose from.
We’re also asking what the likelihood is you’d ever make a move to Kalgoorlie.
The responses should be fascinating, so we look forward to hearing your opinions. All contributions are completely anonymous.
You can take part here. We’ll share the results in our newsroom in early September.