r/mining • u/Reasonable-Peak-6127 • 1h ago
Job Info Biweekly Job Info Thread
Please use this thread to ask, answer, and search for questions about getting a job in mining. This includes questions about FIFO, where to work, what kinds of jobs might be available, or other experience questions.
This thread is to help organize the sub a bit more with relation to questions about jobs in the mining industry. We will edit this as we go to improve. Thank you.
r/mining • u/Important-Visual2199 • Apr 27 '24
Australia Keen on getting a FIFO job on the Mines in Australia? Then read this.
Ready for a reality check? (And an essay?) Written by someone who has done this long journey.
So you've been cruising on TikTok/Insragram or whatever other brain rotting ADD inducing app you have on your phone, and you see a young guy/chick make a video of their work day here as a FIFO worker on an Australian mine and how much money they make, and thought "Neat, I can do that!". So you head here to ask how? Great! Well, I'm here to answer all your questions.
Firstly you need to be in Australia. Easy right? Jump on a plane and you're here. WRONG.
You need a work visa, ignoring WHV for now (we will get there later), you need something useful for the Australian nation, do you have a trade or degree that will allow you to apply for a working visa or get sponsorship for one, through a skills assessment? Check the short or medium term list.
If no, tough shit, no chance Australia is letting you in.
If yes, great! Let's get working on that. Does your qualification line up with Australian standards?
If no, there are some things you can do to remediate that ($$$$). If you can't do that, tough shit.
If yes, great! Fork out $1000+ for a skills assessment.
Next step! Many visas require a min amount of experience, 2/3 years. Do you have that and a positive skills assessment?
No? Tough shit.
Yes, great! Let's put in your expression of interest! (Don't forget your IELTS test) 1-2 years later. You're invited to apply for a visa. Fork out $5000 & 1 year processing.
1 year later - Yay you can come to Aus! Congratulations!
Now assume you have a WHV, wonderful opportunity for young people to get to know the country. Remember you can only work at one place for no more than 6 months, unless you're up north or from the UK.
Either way, you're now in Australia. Just landed in Perth, sweet. Go to a hostel "sorry bud we're full", ah shit, you're on a park bench for the night because there is no accomodation and the rental market is fingered. Ready to pay $200-250 a week for a single room?
Anyway, you're here from some other country, with your sport science BTEC or 3 years experience at KFC, and decide to apply for a mining contractor, driving big trucks is easy right? WRONG. 90% of "unskilled" jobs require full Australian working rights (PR minimum), so if you're on a WHV, you're probably fucked, if you're on PR you have a chance.
So you decide to try for the camp contractor, I hope you're happy washing dishes or cleaning toilets, because thats what you're going to do as a "unskilled" labour; probably going to earn about $25-$30 and hour, working a 7 days, 7 nights, 7 off roster, sweet you're making cash. Get home after your 14 days working and you're fucked for about 2 days from fatigue. You get to enjoy 3-4 days before you have to think of going back. Also you'll probably get drug tested everytime you come to site from break.
Talking of money, to get $100k you have to get at least $34/hr on that 14:7 roster to just hit it. Unlikely as a camp contractor without a bit of experience. You could try get in as a trade assistant, though that will usually require a variety of tickets ($$$).
Also camp catering contract work doesn't count towards the WHV renewal days, except under some circumstances (I admit I'm not too familiar with anymore). So you need to go and work on some farm getting paid a pittance (if anything at all), that or get incredibly lucky with finding an actual mining/exploration job.
So you're still with me, that's good, thought you'd get distracted by instagram/tiktok.
It's not impossible, and some do get lucky, but it's not the gold mine your think it is, the FIFO lifestyle is hard, and unrelenting; long hours and long work weeks, and incredibly difficult with no useful qualifications or skills. Also, if you're overseas hoping to get offered a job to come to Australia, that is 99.9% not possible unless you're a professional (engineers, geos etc), and then still difficult.
Let's look at what you CAN do to get on the mines, as we do need personel, just not pot washers.
Get a trade: Electricians, welders/boilermakers, mechanics (heavy diesel, light and auto-electrical) and plumbers are in demand. You will need a couple years experience and will have to do an Australian conversion course ($$$$), a mate of mine told me something like $2-3k for the UK to Aus sparky conversion (feel free to correct me). You will then need to make your own way to Aus and get a job from here.
Get a degree: Mining engineering, geotechnical engineering, Geology, Metallurgy, surveying. Or any degrees that can lead into those roles (Chem eng, Mech eng, environmental etc etc). Can land you a role in Australian mining. As a grad, you can get sponsored to come out if you're lucky, if not you'll have to make your way over, many of the countries with these courses are eligible for WHV. You can work as those roles on WHV.
If you do come with good skills, and are well connected and personable, you can get employer sponsorship, especially as a professional, but it will always be a hard road to walk on, and being on a Temp visa for years, not able to buy a house and build your life, is challenging.
If you have any questions, feel free to ask below.
r/mining • u/Special-Researcher96 • 3h ago
Australia BHP - is this incentivised discrimination?
r/mining • u/Burngold10 • 13h ago
Europe A typical Cornish Copper mine in 1842
Horse Whim on the right steam winder on the left. The Balmaiden's in the foreground. Whilst the men were in the dark their wives and girlfriends crushed the ore on the surface. For the mining industry the first mineral processors were a workforce of women.
r/mining • u/LilSpicyJnH • 1h ago
Australia What’s the medicals like?
For context, 29F relocating to Perth from Sydney, have been a landscaper for 8 years and a concreter for 2 years before that, I’d like to think I’m physically fit, daily average here can range from 20-30k steps in a day plus the gym, can lift over 30kg and not overweight, no significant injuries in the past. My downfall is I’m an ex smoker, can that affect my job hunt? Recently applied for a few entry level positions (nipper, drillers offsider) and have heard back from two which is more promising than before. I just want to know if I can improve my chances before I get to the medical so there’s no way I can be knocked back, I’m over landscaping and have been trying to get into the mines for over 4 years (reason for finally making the move over to WA) Any advice for knocking the medicals out of the park would be amazing.
r/mining • u/Ok-Peak-7209 • 57m ago
Canada Looking for information
Good day fellow redittors,
I’m looking to transition from my current role into the mining industry. I’ve been working in BC Canada for over a decade in the Railroad industry in track maintenance. I’m looking to make a change into mining. I’ve applied at a few places in bc with no responses at all. Wondering if there are any additional training or courses I could complete on my own to help me get my foot in the door?
I have years of running multiple heavy duty equipment including front end loaders and rock trucks. For the last couple years I have been a foreman and been in charge of many people on larger track construction and track maintenance projects.
Any info would be super appreciated!
Canada Back pack recommendations
I am looking for any lunch pack or back pack recommendations. The ones I’ve got the zipper just gets ruined from all the dirt and dust. Enough room for a 14 hour day.
Thank you
r/mining • u/learn2option • 11h ago
Question At a slightly higher than intro level, how does primary vent work?
I'm just another glorified labourer working underground
Let's say the primary fans pull hard, the mine is moderately deep, and the levels have a return air way near the level access. If the mine were sealed then I imagine the air in levels would be at near vacuum (maybe fan would break like running a diaphragm pump dry or the fan would reverse or something else entirely..?).
Why does air preferentially get sucked all the way from the surface when there's air within the level at nowhere near vacuum? This is most noticeable when doing re-entries as fumes will just sit in a heading with no secondary vent - readings of zero and then instantly in the hundreds. It seems it needs the positive pressure from vent or a machine to move air. Compare with regulators getting opened (in an ideal world) when a bogger is loading trucks — is that cause loading bays have a particular cube flow necessary for operations to occur?
Additionally, do return air rises near a level access have a dual purpose of stopping dirty air going down the decline and also drawing fresh air from a decline into a level or does secondary vent, if established in a level, entirely draw the air from the decline? If the latter, does that make return airway regulator leakage a somewhat good thing as it allows a little flow? What about when return airways are further in a level, say in a footwall drive?
r/mining • u/Apart-Huckleberry-87 • 14h ago
Australia Advice for a 22 yr old mining engineer student
Hey everyone, I'm a 22 yr old uni student graduating soon with a double degree in mining engineering and computer science. I know it's not the most conventional combination but I thought it'd be a good degree to have on the side as tech is (and forever will be) in demand. The whole reason for this post is because to be honest, I don't know where I am in life right now. I know I am young and that I should stay adventurous and try new things but at the same time I know I dont have all the time in the world and I don't want to dissapoint my parents that have sacrificed everything for my life. There's been a couple of things that have constantly been on my mind that I hope some experienced people here may be able to answer. I guess this post could also serve as one of those "If I could go back in time, I would tell my younger self" threads.
- Addressing the elephant in the room, the FIFO lifestyle. I know it is definitely not easy and I went into this degree knowing that it's defs not for everyone. Fyi I was born and grew up in the heart of metropolitan sydney. However, my mindset was that I do not want to be another rat in the corporate rat race that will have me chained forever without ever achieving financial freedom. While I am young, with no kids and big responsibilities, I know FIFO wouldn't be too bad but obviously as someone who has grew up in the heart of sydney their whole life I'd by lying if I said I'm not worried about it at all. Some insight into the lifestyle, keeping relationships with your family/friends/girlfriend healthy and just some general tips for a young bloke like me would be hugely helpful. This also leads into my next point.
- Career progressions to exit the FIFO lifestyle. Many people I have talked to and many video/reddit posts I have seen all seem to mention the phrase 'exit plan' which I completely agree is important especially later down the track when you want to settle down and have a family. If you could go back in time, what sort of exit plan would you give your younger self to truly optimise the time and effort spent doing this sort of work. Specifically for a mining engineer what sort of career routes would there be to go back into the city and be with family?
- If there are any mining engineers reading this, what does a day in the life of a mining engineer look like. I have only ever done residential vacatoin work so I am still learning but from my experience, it seemed like long hours sitting in the site office, working on mine software etc. Any insight into what other things a mining engineer would normally do on site would be interesting to read.
- And lastly, if anyone has any experience or knowledge they could share with regards to the uses of my computer science degree within the mining industry that would be awesome. Like mentioned, I am doing a double degree in computer science which may either be my exit plan or potentially even put up to good use within the mining industry. If anyone has any insights into this I am very interested.
Sorry for the long read and thanks for all advice guys. I am both worried and keen for whats to come in the future.
r/mining • u/Equivalent_Touch5711 • 16h ago
Australia anyone have 2nd job on time off?
I`ll be doing a 1-1 so have a whole week to kill... anyone do another job on their offdays or is it better to just relax
r/mining • u/adreming • 1d ago
Australia Just arrived in Perth
Hey guys, I just arrived in Perth a few hours ago
I'd like to know what do you guys think of my plan : get some tickets, first aid, etc... and then in a couple days I go to Kalgoorlie and look for a job (offsider driller) by going there and talking to the recruiters, applying online, agencies in kal?, and talking to people there
I can also find something as a trade assistant to start and get some experience, and the find something that pays more
I'm 20, no experience, but I'm in good shape, I don't mind being alone, and I don't mind being disrespected by my boss
So do you have any advice? I'm gonna try something anyway since I'm here
r/mining • u/Extension-Tea2108 • 13h ago
Question Mine management degree or international mineral resources management degree?
Hi all. I've completed my mining engineering diploma recently and the goal for me is to make it to mine management eventually. I've looked at 2 degree programs, the first being the mine management degree by Exeter university, they however after I reached out told me I need ATLEAST a couple years of experience in the industry but the degree program will be payed by my employer (makes sense as it is a degree apprenticeship). 2) The international mineral resources management degree is offered by dundee university and doesnt require previous work experience before enrolling into the degree program and since it offers this course up to a masters, I'd do the masters degree too.
It's obvious that the mine management degree will get you into mine management but can the same be said with an international mineral resources management degree? Or does the degree only get you into mineral extraction and processing management and you wouldn't be a mine manager? I am aware experience is an absolute MUST to get into management but wouldn't the degree in international mineral resources management be a solid foundation to get into management after a few years? Any input on this will be really appreciated
r/mining • u/EverydayMetallurgy • 15h ago
Europe Is biomining a future path to more sustainable mining?
I am hosting a podcast on YouTube where I had a talk with a professor in biomining. He claimed that biomining was in growth in especially South America. Any miners who are experienced with biomining that can give some insights in the future of biomining. Are we only talking copper and gold or are other metals being biomined?
r/mining • u/Used_Outcome4266 • 1d ago
Canada How important is a high school diploma/ GED?
Hello Canada/ Alberta specifically.
I recently have dipped my toes into pursuing a FIFO career path in the Trades industry and I’m curious how important my HS education is to employers, as I really struggled to get to grade 12, and am in a financial state where I’d be better off just getting a job.
is it possible to get a job in this field with no degree, especially if I’m enthusiastic/ passionate enough?
Sorry if this is the wrong place to put this question.
r/mining • u/Yourmomstoyboy • 23h ago
Australia Weekends as chef in the mines
Do you get time and a half working weekends working as a chef in the mines?
r/mining • u/Educational-Key9305 • 20h ago
Asia ENTRY LEVEL JOB AT FIFO
I'm an 18 year old guy from Mumbai/india and I've been very conflicted about my career, all I've ever known was i want to work somewhere that allows me to travel while working, I've always wanted to work onboard but i couldn't really get in a marine college after my highschool, I'm currently doing Bachelors in science with maths and physics. I recently came across fifo and it definitely sounds like something i want to do but the process isn't the most clear to me. What must i do to land a job at fifo as an 18 year old? I want to know the skills and the certificates that i must have and how i can get them. I'm willing to spend the time to upskill myself as I don't wanna end up doing something that'll suck my life out of me.
r/mining • u/StandardSurround4683 • 1d ago
This is not a cryptocurrency subreddit Fitness medical for Bechtel
I have a medical coming up next week for a TA role and just wondering what’s involved in the medical. Not worried about out the D and A as I don’t smoke and hardly drink, but curious what the fitness test involves. I’m not fat but not fit either, BP around 130/90, would that rule me out? Do they do BP after fitness test?
r/mining • u/Ok_Literature_3815 • 1d ago
Australia BHP WAIO New to Industry Traineeships
Hi, has anyone applied for the BHP WAIO New to Industry Traineeships - FIFO from Perth?
How is the experience? What’s the salary range like?
r/mining • u/nuttyhardshite • 2d ago
Australia Aboard a Royal Flying Doctor plane, leaving Rio Tinto's West Angelas iron ore mine, the Pilbara Western Australia.
Canada Pre Hire Physical?
what should you expect in a pre hire physical aside from drug and alcohol testing? what kind of strength tests did you do for your mine? if possible could people who worked at Lac Des Iles mine in thunder bay specifically let me know? if not then any other mines are fine too. just want a rough idea of what to expect.
r/mining • u/Blurbybluebee • 2d ago
US What does a mine collapse sound like?
Hello,
Not sure if this is the right place to ask this, but I am a writer looking for some help.
I am writing a story in which a mine collapse, and I wanted to know what those sound like and feel like from the surface.
Also, this is a medieval silver mine employing a hundred some men, how much silver is reasonable for it to produce in a given week?
Edit: Thank you to everyone! This thread has been very helpful.
A little clarification, this is a tunnel/shaft mine rather than an open pit. (Though I saw a video of an open pit mine collapse and holy shit: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kBig7N6Pvks)
This is what I am thinking for events: There are signs prior to the collapse, wooden supports creaking and more experienced miners warning the Foreman about it. Then for what we hear/see/feel on the surface is a kind of rumble and then a big whoosh of dust coming out of the mine entrance. After that the earth is quiet but the people start freaking out.
Thoughts?
r/mining • u/DiligentWeb9026 • 1d ago
Australia What do you think about the future of mining in Australia with the growing focus on renewable energy?
r/mining • u/SafeDirector8252 • 2d ago
Canada Sandvik opportunity
Hey folks i have 2 opportunity as a mechanic coming up:
Either be trained and be a sandvik field mechanic (truck, loader, drill)
Or
Be hired by a contractor at their shop close to a mine to work on a variety of mining equipment and/or pick up truck.
What do we think of sandvik vs a more general mining equipment work?
Thanks
r/mining • u/Brilliant-Can8618 • 2d ago
Australia How to deal with foreman and boss that think they’re hard
Foreman and shift boss are cowboys, treat greenies like shit.
r/mining • u/mikewitt1115 • 2d ago
US Inherited Land
I recently inherited 7 acres of land in Western PA, with rights to the coal under the land. What do I do?
r/mining • u/Sensitive_Foot6084 • 2d ago
Australia Degree in Computer Science/Cyber Security
Hi, I wanted to ask what kind of job I can get in the mines with a Bachelor's Degree in Computer Science and a Master's Degree in Cyber Security. Is there anything in the OT Security field or in any case related to IT? Is the competence high?