How to get an entry level job in the mining industry

First of all, it is very difficult to find entry level jobs in the mining industry. Most mines need experienced employees to hit the ground running, usually because they need to replace someone who left.

One of the main concerns of entry level staff on mine sites of course is safety. Safety issues are high on the “must know” list for any employee on site, and if you’ve never been on site before, you need to learn about mine safety somewhere, and most employers won’t have time or capabilities to run mine safety courses. So the first thing you should do in order to get a job in the mines is make sure your safety courses are all completed before you even bother applying for jobs. There are a number of online courses available which are nationally accredited, and there are institutes that run courses aver a set number of days. Even if you have a mining engineering degree, if you plan on touching foot on site, you need to have the relevant safety certification behind you to even be considered.

Once you have the relevant certificates sorted, start contacting mines you are interested in working at, or if you really want to get serious about getting on site fast, move to one of the communities within driving distance to the mines. Locals have a better chance of getting jobs than FIFO workers.

If you want to get onsite as a driver, there are a number of courses and licenses you should get before applying. A  truck license and a current driver’s license are the two obvious ones that will get you a step in front of those who don’t have them.

For entry level Mobile Equipment Operator jobs Truck, Dump Truck, or Road Train, a HR-X license is a good start as a basic requirement.

If you are a graduate looking for work, most of the major companies will have graduate programs with set numbers of places available each intake year.

Not all sites need the same qualifications so check with each site you are considering and find out exactly what is required before spending money on tickets and licenses you may not need.

Most sites require vehicle licenses, medical and security clearances.

Security Clearances – Most mine sites will have differing pre-employment security measures based on what they are mining and the site location.

You will need to obtain the below:

• National Police Certificate (NPC).
• Other state-based security checks.

Pre-Employment Medicals include tests and questions that include pre-employment drug & alcohol screening, and questions that determine your medical condition and fitness, audio tests to assess hearing /hearing loss, lung function test, and musculoskeletal assessment / fitness test.

If you are studying in a particular field, a good way to get your foot in the door is by offering yourself for work experience on site while you are studying.

The best way to get a job is by finding out from the mines what you need to do to get the job you want, then go out and do it, however if you are looking at a particular role in the sector, the below institutions have courses on offer that can help you get there.

Mining industry courses:

• University of Queensland
• Griffith University
• West Australian School of Mines
• University of WA
• Murdoch University
• University of University of Adelaide
• University of New South Wales
• University of Wollongong
• University of University of Ballarat
• University of Newcastle
• Curtin Graduate School of Business