Working at the Mines (unskilled and skilled jobs)

[Rider_of_Fast]

I was just wondering if anyone else was considering working out at the mines? (like out at Karratha/Pilbara/Gladstone etc) or if anyone has/is doing such work? (or even if you know someone who does it). Im constantly hearing that there is a shortage of workers (albeit skilled - but also unskilled) out West. So I was thinking, fark it, I'd go out there if the pay is good enough and even do a 8/1 FIFO stint to get in the money for a couple of years of hard work.

I am 23, uni grad who isn't enjoying my current degree related job (wish I had have known 3 years ago :s) but am seriously considering doing a stint in the mines for a bit of an outlandish experience and maybe get my head around what I want to do as a career... such a bloody big decsion!

Im just sick of 'office' related work and want to get out and be 'physically' active. Has anyone else felt this same urge?!? Like I mean, weren't we as humans meant to use our bodies a little bit more...think along the lines of hunters and gatherers... As long as I have access to a gym and a bike out there in my down time, being a fit type of person I would be more than happy to do 12hr shifts labouring (whatever) for several weeks at a time and then having a week down time and then back into it again for more. Because more work = more $$$.

So I guess my questions are:
- Is there work out at the mines for people without any mining experience? (Im talking work of any kind; labourer, dump truck driver, assistants of all kinds)
- How do I go about finding such work? (Maybe job agencies? - Seek hasn't been too helpful)
- Is accommodation/food/transport all part of the remuneration packages?
- Where are the shortages biggest? (should I target WA or QLD etc etc).

I hope this discussion can help others also considering the idea

 

[jaseh]

Try here,
http://www.miningjobs.com.au/

I tried to get into it 2 years ago and found it very difficult with no mining experience, even when I was applying for jobs in my trade, plant mechanic. Might be a bit different now as that was when the GFC hit, they are now screaming for people from what I'm hearing.

I ended up in the Hunter Valley, I'm not in the mines but work for one of the biggest suppliers of mining equipment. I know we have heaps of jobs going over in WA and here in NSW as well.
http://www.westrac.com.au/careers/pages/careersApply.aspx Probably nothing in there for you though as most of it will be mechanics positions.

 

[Ivan]

What degree did you do?

It's hard to get a job without having previous Heavy Industry or Mining experience, but you might get lucky. From the Job ads I have seen, WA appears to be going gangbusters atm.

Working at remote locations in heavy industry can be an excellent career move. You often get paid well, get to use state of the art equipment, work for companies that generally have their shit sorted, and advancement often happens quicker due to the high turnover of staff. There are a lot of pro's, but living in remote locations can be hard socially.

I recommend it to anyone who wants to push their career ahead, as often you get opportunities in these places that are hard to come by in metro area's.

Come to Gladstone. I move their in 5 weeks, so I'll need people to ride with.

 

[Rider_of_Fast]

I studied a Bach of International Business and Finance and although I was one of the top students in my year, some how working for a bank or MNC post-GFC in the area of Mergers & Acquisitions or Risk Management (my previous goals) doesn't seem so appealing. To tell you the truth I hate the banks now, and I currently work for one, well kind of... and that kind of corporate lifestyle isnt so enticing anymore. There is a lot of snobbery involved, and really these guys arent all that smart.

SO - Im thinking of either;
1) Going back to uni to do a Masters in 1 of 4 different Allied Health professions; Physio, Occ Therapy, Audiology or Speech Patholgoy - mainly considering Physio - takes 2 years FT to complete. Jobs outlook is great, get to be physical (kind of - well use your hands) in daily work and can maybe volunteer to physio at bike races etc - a good way to meet ppl and rub shoulders with good riders (literally )etc. I am not aspiring to be a sports physio or anything - I'd want to go the Musculo-Skeletal path and deal with spines and the back mainly - but more than likely start out at a hospital for a few years before going private prac.
2) Doing a masters in IT - http://www.courses.qut.edu.au/cgi-b.../wa/selectMajorFromMain?pres=sf&courseID=9630. One of the majors in the link here. I would be mainly looking at doing something in Software Architecture I think - If I went the IT path it would NEED to be in an area where there is a great demand for work and ALSO something which could enable me to work for myself (e.g. free lance/being contracted for designing dynamic websites/programming etc etc - I have so many ideas of website at the mo, but don't have the necessary skills to implement my ideas - fark paying someone $$$).
3) Getting a different job with my current qualifications and experience. Hmmm... sounds pretty boring. But sensible. But then again sensible is boring.
4) Going out to the mines for a couple years, doing literally ---> whatever <--- and making some decent money whilst also getting my head around a career. I see this as a positive move as I would be able to save (I am thinking $100k over 2 years is do-able) and then come back with something in the bank and also with a lot more of a view on life and experience etc.

Socially - yes it would be hard not hanging with current buddies. But I also see it as an opportunity to meet new people. I just hope they arent the type who get on the piss every night and smoke etc etc - Im over this sort of thing. Im into working hard and then riding hard/gyming and saving my money - lol Ok maybe Im boring

Oh and 5) I could get a trade (I have considered doing a dual sparkie/chippie apprenticeship) But somehow in my family it isnt considered a wise career choice. Ive heard ppl say Im too smart for that - which is a crock of shit - tradies are clever, I am envious of any tradie that has their own small business, thats freakin awesome!!!. In my family - Its like you have to go to uni to prove yourself. Sucks.

Well enough about my sheit - Ivan, do you take your pushie with you when you head to the mines?

 

[3viltoast3r]

Do mining to figure out what you want to do before jumping into another degree you might not really want to do

 

[Fred Nurk]

Have a look at Weatherford, Halliburton, Schlumberger and so on.

I'd never want to go back to working for those types of companies again, but plenty of people have enjoyed the experience, at least in the short term.

Often they will employ degree qualified people for various roles, but be well prepared for long hours, shit conditions and so on.

A lot of the other lower tier entries to mining aren't really that much better than what you might find in other industries. It'll take you quite a while to get where you want to if you're offsiding on an exploration drill rig.

 

[Ivan]

Ivan, do you take your pushie with you when you head to the mines?

I've never done more than a couple of weeks at mines, but have lived in Mount Isa and a few other places working in Heavy Industries.

From what I have seen, unless you have a qualification (Engineering) or trade (Instrument Fitter/Electrician) that is in high demand, it will be difficult to earn huge dollars. I could be wrong though, it happened once before.

 

[John U]

I finished uni in 1994 and worked as an exploration geologist for 6 years on and off. A lot of the jobs were on a fly in fly out basis. It was a fairly hardcore lifestyle.

You may find your self getting on the piss every night and also going bezerk on your week off back in civilisation. A fairly large majority of people in your age group working there will be.

You can save money but you can also spend it. Keeping yourself sane may require you splurging a bit of your cash.

7 weeks on and 1 week off of 12 hours shifts sounds fairly mental, even for the most hard core, but a lot of the drillers did this. And for their week off they'd go to a drill rig on another site. These blokes really loved their jobs and the lifestyle so I guess it wasn't that much of chore for them.

The lifestyle takes its toll on a lot of people and you can see it in the people who've been in the game longer.

If you are prepared to live in one of the isolated locations and have a clue you may be able to get a job as a field assistant with out other qualifications. A first aid certificate might help your cause. If you are good at getting along with people from varied backgrounds this will also help a lot.

The only thing you should have to pay for while on the job in an isolated location should alcohol and smokes.

In the days I was doing it there was no access to the internet. This might help now if it's available.

I got out 10 years ago. Last place I worked in was 2 hours drive from the nearest civilisation. The site had a population of 200 males, 10 females.

PM me if you want to have a chat about it.

 

[MasterOfReality]

I'm in the industry.

I have worked as a underground miner in coal and metals. I have worked as a mining engineer in underground coal and metals. I am currently working as a consultant geotechnical engineer in underground gold, open pit gold, open pit iron ore and open pit coal.

I did a BE in mining engineering, and a PhD in mining/geotechnical engineering.

I'll add more detailed stuff tomorrow re accomodation, salaries, medicals etc etc.

 

[Regan of Gong]

I'm in the industry.

I have worked as a underground miner in coal and metals. I have worked as a mining engineer in underground coal and metals. I am currently working as a consultant geotechnical engineer in underground gold, open pit gold, open pit iron ore and open pit coal.

I did a BE in mining engineering, and a PhD in mining/geotechnical engineering.

I'll add more detailed stuff tomorrow re accomodation, salaries, medicals etc etc.

Was it you that used to work in the mines during your uni holidays as well and cash up for the rest of the year?

 

[MasterOfReality]

Was it you that used to work in the mines during your uni holidays as well and cash up for the rest of the year?

Yes, but there are others on here that did the same.

 

[MasterOfReality]

What I'll write here is a summary of what I have experienced over nearly 10 years.

Different aspects can be very commodity specific eg better money in different minerals, mining methods etc etc.

1. Unskilled vs Skilled

There is big money to be had in both unskilled and skilled work in the mines. Being unskilled, to a certain extent, will limit what you can earn but unless you can work yourself into a mine manager's position then there is not much difference between the two.

During the first boom that took off in 2005 or so, just about anybody could get a job in the mines. As a result, a fair few cowboys made their way in, and with the second boom taking off, mining companies and recruiters have clamped down fairly hard.

Someone with no mining experience will not find themselves on a dump truck straight away. You would have to do at least 6 months to a year being a shit kicker before you are allowed to get anywhere near machinery. You may be allowed to have a play with the levers and such, but the majority of your time will be spent running around for other people, and generally offsiding.

2. Money

This differs a lot according to the mine you are at. Iron ore has traditionally paid big money, underground/open cut coal probably comes in second and underground metals a distant third. For eg, I did a six month stint geotechnical logging at the drill rigs in the Pilbara and I had an assistant for mundane tasks. I mean really mundane tasks. We were paying him $83k a year. He left after 6 months because he got a job in the processing plant, hosing down equipment, for $103k a year.

A standard, run of the mill miner will probably earn around $120k a year, give or take maybe $20k a year depending on the mine. A production miner (miner driver, jumbo operator and the like) can make up to $160k a year. Shift boss/superintendant roles probably max out at $180k a year.

On the (mining) engineering side of things, its roughly the same. Junior/grad engineer can earn anywhere from $70k - $100k a year. Mid level engineer around $140k. Senior engineer $140k - $180k. Tech services manager ~ $200k. Mine manager $250-$300k.

Some places like Wollongong, will use their location as leverage for slightly lesser wages. That can be a good thing. I am biased because I am from Wollongong, but nothing beats the ability to work in the mines, earn decent money and still live in a city. Sounds much better than living in a donga (demountable container with an aircon unit in the wall) in the middle of the bush.

3. Accomodation

Accomodation is based on the roster, which is either residential or fly in fly out (fifo).

If you choose to go residential, the company will most likely subsidise your accomodation. If single, you will probably live in a one bedroom flat or share a house with others. Rents can range from $300 a week for a small apartment to $1200 a week for a house. You wont have to worry about those huge costs because it will most likely be subsidised. You will have to provide your own food.

If you choose to go fifo, then you will most likely be put into the contractors camp. You will be living in a donga, where you can literally hear the guy next door to you speak on the phone, have a wank, take a shit, fart, whatever. Cardboard thin walls abound. Most camps these days have their own little ensuite. I remember living in camps with shared bathroom blocks. Food is provided in a mess hall arrangement.

4. Rosters

Residential usually means a Monday to Friday work week, with alternating shifts. Standard hours these days are around 12 hours a day. Underground coal from when I was working in it was around 8 hours a day.

Fifo can range from 7 on 7 off, 8 on 6 off, to 14 on 7 off. You may be expected to fly in your own time, so thats something to consider if you want to do fifo to WA and you are in Sydney. Considering it takes a day each way, then you effectively cut your days off by two.

5. Underground vs Opencut

Are you claustrophobic? We had a student mining engineer that flipped out when he went underground for the first time. I don't know what happened to him but yeah, he freaked.

Either way, both environments can be hot, humid, dusty and uncomfortable.

Underground is dusty and very humid, open cut just gets bloody hot in summer. When I was in the Pilbara last summer, I reckon it was over 50 degrees in the bottom of the pit, as the sun reflects off the walls.

Personally, I finf underground more interesting.

6. Getting a start

This can be either very difficult or easy. Do you know someone in the mining industry? Where are you located?

I suggest you narrow down the areas which you would like to work. It may be advantageous to pay for your medicals and generic inductions yourself and then hassle recruitment agencies.

Alternatively you can target the contractors like Downder EDi Mining, Macmahons etc etc.

Thats about as much as I can think of at the moment. Its probably very general but if you have any specific questions just fire away.

 

[Cypher]

I lived in a remote, company town for nearly two years. You couldn't drive there for 6 months of the year because of the wet (but that didn't worry me as I didn't have a car - no where to drive to anyway).

If you're not the sort of person to drink your life and wages away, and you are going to stay in town for the whole time, you need to be the sort of person who can do the same thing week in, week out.

Here was my free time schedule for the entire two years:
Monday = running with Hash House Harriers or dancing (I'm a girl!)
Tuesday = 30 km road ride to one of the mine sites
Wednesday = rest night
Thursday = (MT)B ride - there were no 'mountains' though. Dead flat
Friday = Date night at the bowlo (so classy)
Saturday morning = (MT)B ride
Sunday = Free day

I really enjoyed it though. I loved living in the tropics.

Having said that, I don't think I could go back. I've done my time

 

[Rider_of_Fast]

“Be available, medically fit, and drug and alcohol free. If you get through all those, there are opportunities. You may not get a job today. You may be lucky enough to get a job tomorrow and you may wait two months. It’s just a matter of being in the right place at the right time. And of course, making a call once a week to recruiters just to say I’m still available and I’m still interested because it keeps you in the back of their mind.”
(Greg Hobbs, Australian Mining Magazine, Nov 2006)

I guess taking the above mentioned quote literally doesn't always work.

^^^
MoR, Awesome response. You answered a lot of questions before I even had to ask.

OK - 1st question: I forgot to mention that my girlfriend and I are interested in working out at the mines. Now I don't know if this has thrown a mega spanner in the works or not. But anyway, realistically speaking, would we have a chance of working and living together at the same mine site/job location? (We both currently hold steady jobs and are high achievers academic wise (if that really matters)- but we want a bit of "hands-on" mining/life experience together.)

So I guess a course-of-action to getting a job at the mines would be:
1. Figure out which locations and mine typesto target for work (I live on the GC - and the way I see it, its all or nothing for me - going by the rule that the more rural you go the higher the remuneration; again assumptions on my part). So its looking like Karratha/Pilbara, but I could be partial to Gladstone or Nth QLD.
2. Establishing a connection with a few specific mining companies or agencies. Having a chat about the prospects for me and gf and also what expectations we should have with regards to pay/living arrangements/rosters and types of employment in general (My gf is interested in driving a truck of any kind). Also, It could work out that only I will end up going out to work and she stays in the city for work - but anyway - you've gotta dream.
THEN:
3. Getting medically assessed as well as First Aid Cert. (Do I need a blue card as well?)
4. Doing a MARCSTA or equivalent mining introductory course (remember I'd be only going for unskilled work atm)
5. Compiling a resume with above mentioned assessments/certificates/course and putting forward an application, then hoping for the best.

2nd Question: Are there certains times of the year when mining companies take on applications. As with grad programs, which usually have a Feb and July/Aug intake. Although, Im not looking for a grad program, so is it different for labourers, assistants, dump truck drivers and other positions?

I swear, if it wasn't for the mining sector, we'd be in the dumps post-GFC. Stimulus, Shmimulus - its the miners who we're to thank.

Cheers, more questions to follow

 

[Middo]

Following on from MoR's great post. I'm a Geo who has spent 10+ years in the industry, so my 2cents.

You might be lucky if both of you work on the same site, even luckier if you're both on the same roster. Realistically, I don't like your chances since you're both starting from scratch. You might have an easier time achieving this by going residential for a period first. Juggling relationships and remote area mining work is always a challenge. I've mainly done FIFO, but my partner survived just over 18months in the outback when we went residential before she'd had enough (of the lifestyle). Also keep in mind the gender balance, as mentioned previously.

Targeting work areas. OK, going remote is better for bigger wages, but you might find FIFO roles hard to find if you're green, and rocking up in remote areas to live and look for work can be very expensive (rents/groceries etc). Perhaps look at getting some basic experience in QLD before making the leap to remote QLD or WA. At a mine in NSW, we used to find that we'd attract more less-skilled workers (closer to population base and lower wages on offer) who subsequently moved on to better paying roles in WA & QLD after several months. It will also allow you to test-the-waters first to see if you both like the lifestyle or work conditions (eg some people get freaked out underground). Some sites have much better facilities and social outlets than others.

Definitely get first a senior aid cert. All companies will put you through a pre employment medical first anyway.

Marctsa is bigger in WA than the eastern states. I haven't seen it used so much over here.

Stay off drugs.

Have a plan and stick to it. You are obviously intelligent and doing your research. I've seen plenty of guys get caught up in the big cash lifestyle, and plenty of old guys who should have gotten out of the game years ago. It's great to experience and live for a bit, but you don't want to piss it all up the wall, or blow it all on fast cars, jet ski's and flat screen tv's etc. Remember the industry goes through boom/bust cycles.

Good luck!

 

[MasterOfReality]

There is a possibility that both of you can get a job at the same mine, but as Middo said, chances would be quite slim, especially if you are green. At all of the mines I have worked at in the past, relatives or married couples are always split up onto different shifts in case an accident happens.

Females are preferred as truck drivers because they seem to treat machinery better. I don't quite understand why that is the case, but mine operators swear by it.

Since you are both new to it, I think getting offered a fifo role will be pretty much non-existant, which means residential roles for a while until you build up some skills. Seeing as you are on the gold coast, try to stay in the same state, so that way you wont have to lug all your stuff across the country to find out you hate the lifestyle and chuck it in within 6 months. That means you have to then move and pay your way back across, and possible re-imburse the company for the moving costs from QLD to WA. Big $$$.

Personally, I would try the QLD regional centres first. Bowen Basin, Mt Isa etc etc. Have a look on seek and hit up the regional recuitment agencies and labour hire companies.

If working in qld coal, you will need your coal board medical (as middo said, company will pay), generic inductions, senior first aid and a couple of coal competencies which are covered in the generic inductions. The requirements differ between industries. For iron ore, the big one is the WAIO (west aus iron ore induction) and the mine workers card (sort of like a medical passport).

Contact simtars for info on inductions for qld coal: http://www.dme.qld.gov.au/mines/simtars.cfm

Middo says stay off the drugs. Make sure you really stick to this, and watch what you drink as well. On many sites there is random drug and alcohol testing. Sometimes you can test yourself if you think you are over the limit and go home, but once you present yourself fit for work, get selected for testing, blow positive, then in many cases its instant dismissal. Also, the breathalysers that they use at the mines go to three decimal places. So forget about blowing under 0.05 because if you blow 0.001, then your gone. Its a zero tolarance policy.

How thick is your skin? Some people can cop some pretty rough shit out on site so it helps if you can deal with it. One of my first jobs was as a strike breaker in one of the central qld underground coal mines, so I quickly learnt to deal with aggression and all the bullshit that comes along with working on site.

Operator positions are modelled around the grad program advertising times. Grads usually have a structured path set out for them, thats why advertising starts mid year so they can start work in Jan. Operator positions are advertised whenever the need arises.

Try Ready Workforce and Skilled for positions.

 

[top_dog]

As the others have said you've got next to no chance of getting FIFO just starting off. Personally I'd try Mount Isa. Its a bit of a kindergarten, people go there to go somewhere else basically. But its big enough that your girlfriend will be able to find something to do, there's plenty of sport including MTB.

Look on the Xstrata website.

This one for example is what you'd be looking at starting off.

This one would be better, you'd probably get some time off siding jumbos but its very hot hard work. I had an English grad working as my offsider and he spent most of his days vomiting. Its the sort of work that you'll go through 12L of water in a day. Also bottom of the food chain. Should be $80k plus on a four on four off roster though. I spent three months doing this work and it is pretty brain deadening for the most part but its what everybody does to start off. Mining is very hierarchal btw.

MOR will understand this, but suffice to say its HOT, and that is the sort of conditions you'll find yourself in:

 

[felts bend]

im looking at getting into the mines at the moment, i'm a trade qualified boilermaker, what sort of tickets would people recommend such as ewp/ senior first aid and the likes?

 

[Middo]

To Rider_of_Fast: Try one of the smaller contract field staff companies, like Gnomic in Townsville, (or RME in Orange NSW). They supply field staff on a contract basis, which will let you be based in a larger regional town but get to work at a number of sites while gaining experience. They might also offer a bit more personal feedback as a smaller company, rather than the larger recruitment companies. It's all about getting you foot in the door.

 

[John U]

Also try http://www.terrasearch.com.au/

Good company. Townsville based. Gave me my start. Never let me down when I was looking for work.

If you have a clue and are keen they may be able to sort you out with something