This hasn't been brought up yet, and I by no means claim to be an expert- just a thought particularly for unskilled guys looking for work. I did mess hall and bar tended at two sites over a summer, and it was bloody brilliant for networking. I knew SO many barstaff/hall staff/ even bloody housekeepers who took the job to make connections. Most ladies pull beers with the goal of getting on the trucks (which for guys, sorry face it, unqualified it's not going to happen for you). I also did housekeeping, admin roles, check out chic at the supermarket and grounds maintenance whenever we were required and cos of it, I can call tomorrow and put my hand up for another swing.
We worked 14/7, min 11hr days which can be alot of bed making, sweeping not to mention other mundane crap. But I met HEAPS of people and was even offered a couple of traineeships/entry level jobs while I was there (was accepted into uni at the time so it was no go). Sure it doesn't pay as well as qual'd positions, but shit I've never earnt $1600 in a week bartending before or since ($2600 the week we worked christmas).
Fallbacks: erratic work, I've been on standby to fly the next day, or out that night with no connecting flight booked as yet... I worked a casual payrate which meant tax made me its bitch... 3am starts make you want to stab somebody and it can make you really sick if you're not taking care of yourself... living with the people you work with (I did both share and dongas) can be good and bad, working in the desert when the air con in the pub fails... well you get the point.
Any casual staff member who worked head down ass up could get a f/t position no sweat, the contract takeovers we get called in for usually happen over summer (though I could have worked London OG too). One of my friends started out with a forklift ticket, worked his ass off and now manages a village. Could easily go for heaps of positions in the pit but he's a people person.
So many people say that they want to go out there for a couple of years, earn the cash and bail. Most of those last 6 months. The ones that stay are usually those that actually enjoy their work and can deal with living remote (being away from my family at xmas was so much harder than I thought it would be), and control their costs. It's easy to spend $100 a night on piss when pints are $9.
I've heard of mines having a smaller number of staff who are women, but for us, do we get secure accommodation (there won't be many of us and may be idiots around) & secure amenities or ensuite accommodation?
How does one cope with culture shock? The bogan, binge drinking culture, drug taking that regularly goes on in such communities as drug dealers target miners peceived to have lots of cash. I do know a bit of what I'm talking about, in my family they own a business which services the mines so I did find out a bit about mine culture.
Yes smaller numbers, but often you'll get preference for SPQ's with ensuites instead of share bathrooms like some villages still have. Bogan yes, you run into dickheads everywhere but everyone I met when working there was respectful to me (as a female) because I stood my ground and didn't take shit from them.
If you are a woman, you will get gawked at in the mess hall.
Binge drinking and drug taking in the camp doesn't really exist, companies now have pretty much zero tolerance if you are caught at work with anything in your system. Once when I was waiting for a drug and alchohol test, the guy that went in before me was given his marching orders because he blew over. It was his first day back from break as well. The breath analysers test to three decimal places, not two like the RBT things.
Yes gawked is an understatement! As for above (blowing numbers) we lost 4/5 original bar staff this way within one month of contract takeover. Depending on your co. and your town (I've worked in a BHP town- you have to work for them to live there, and they had more pull than the coppers), if you were involved in a fight in our pub and a punch was thrown, it didn't matter who started it, you'd both have your accom pulled. Basically, if you can't come in and abide by the rules, there's 10 other people behind you waiting for you job.
Binge drinking exists on FIFO days! And shut downs (oh lord), not to mention shift changeover (if you're doing alternate day/night weeks, more common for labourers). BHP used to test at the gate house: every 2nd car for breatho, every fifth for drugs on shift changeover times.
Summation: there are MANY hospitality companies with multimillion dollar contracts on sites, think about it if you don't have much else going for you. Contract takeovers happen all the time and co's drop TONNES of money on causals to make sure changeover happens smoothly it's a pretty easy way to stash a quick couple thousand in the bank over summer.
