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$100K entry level mining jobs, what’s the catch?
$100K entry level mining jobs, what’s the catch?
There are a number of areas in the mining industry that are offering new starters $100K entry level mining jobs. I know it sounds too good to be true. These jobs do exist, but there is a catch (isn’t there always). So, what’s the catch? Well, the employers are forced (because of mining acts and regulations around the country). To meet specific requirements in regards to, the employment and training of new employees.
The requirements mean employers are forced to hire, then train new starters on site. It’s sink or swim training and because of this, they go through a lot of new starters. It’s not unusual for sites to turn over 50% or more, of their new starters in the first six months. What goes wrong, I hear you ask?
When you get to site the employers only have one goal. To get you up to speed as quickly as possible. They do this by hitting you with a wall of information in the first couple of weeks. This is where it starts, its information over load for most. People are so focused on learning to drive the truck. They don’t end up understand the culture or how the mine works. This becomes the problem. The employers need a safe and productive member of crew. If you can’t be left alone, to get on with the job they will let you go. Don’t kid yourself, if you can’t get up to speed quick enough, they will let you go.
So how can you get around this catch? Mining Knowledge is the key. Knowing how the mine works and what is expected of you, before you start, is the best way around it. If we take what happens to a new starter on hardrock underground mine as an example. At some stage on their first day, the new starters will be taken underground. Normally by the shift boss. It’s to show them around and to see if they are going to freak out. For those that have completed the DIY or Workready packages, it becomes a great big game of eye spy. They already understand the culture. They know what they are looking at and have the context of what is going on as they drive around. This is hitting the ground running.
Now take a person with no mining knowledge, on their first day. I can say this from first hand experience. You can see they are trying to take it all in, but most end up with their eyes spinning. Instead of hitting the ground running they hit the ground splat. It’s just information over load and every now and then you get someone that does freak out on you. I had a guy try to climb out of the shift boss ute before we even got to the portal once. Not an experience I wanted to repeat in a hurry. It’s one of many reasons I got involved with the training. To give people the tools to get a start and make a career in the Hardrock Underground mining industry.
So where are these jobs?
The majority of the entry level jobs are in the hardrock underground and the exploration areas of the industry. On a 2&1 roster these are $100K jobs. The underground employers are hiring new starters for the Nipper, Truck Operator, Agi Operator or Diamond Driller Offsider jobs. In exploration it’s field assistants and surface driller offsider jobs. If you type “underground” or “exploration” into seek you will see all the jobs come up.