I want to get into mining!

‘I want to get into mining,’ is a statement I still often here from clients. For many, winning a job in mining is perceived as being similar to winning the lottery – it means a big salary that can open doors for people in their lives.

During the mining boom, opportunities were more widely available despite still being quite difficult to land. This fever doesn’t appear to have been diminished much by the downturn in the mining industry. When mining traineeships are advertised, people tend to go a little crazy and the number of applications that are submitted for a small number of jobs can number up to 1000.

I hear from a really broad spectrum of people who are apparently interested in getting into the mines as mobile plant operators: from labourers and tradespeople to hairdressers and teachers. Across this diverse group, there is a common theme: they are looking for a big pay cheque. They don’t often want the actual job in the mines, they want the salary that goes with it and there is a big problem with this.

Working in the mining industry is not an easy job. Reverse parking a 380t+ dump truck under a 300t+ digger is obviously significantly harder than reverse parking a Holden Astra at Big W. It might be considered ‘unskilled’ work, but operating mining equipment is a huge responsibility and it does take confidence and a particular skill set to be able to master. The people who succeed in this industry are the ones with a genuine passion for the work – who live and breathe the industry and the equipment, with a real buzz for operating such huge and powerful machines. To succeed, the pay cheque has to come second to the love for the job.

Then you have the living situation. For many, moving into the mining industry means FIFO work – this is not for everyone. I speak to a lot of people with families that are wanting to ‘make the sacrifice to provide for their family.’ This is honestly a really noble approach, however in reality, nobility doesn’t protect your mental health or repair broken relationships as you find yourself spending more of your life away from your family than with them. This can breed resentment, loneliness, separation issues from children (for both the parent and the child/ren), and we’ve all seen the reports on mental health issues and suicide rates in FIFO workers by not-for-profit organisations like Lifeline and various government agencies.

Furthermore, the pay cheque can be a bigger burden than saving grace.

Furthermore, the pay cheque can be a bigger burden than saving grace. People tend to get into debt based on the salary that they are earning – it allows them to get the loan for their dream home and to finally purchase that super powered GT. However, the mining industry is far from stable and jobs are not as secure as they used to be. Technological development is driving change in the industry and they are moving away from manned operation and moving towards remote control for cost and safety reasons. This means there is an increasing number of people who have got themselves into debt to a level that they can’t sustain back home in other industries and this is causing greater pressure and stress on their home-life. Mining might seem like the answer to their prayers, but even if they manage to get into a traineeship, it can be a personal, familial and financial disaster.

This story has an important theme – when you are looking at your options when it comes to job choices, consider what you will be doing on a daily basis and whether or not it is something that you would genuinely enjoy. There is nothing worse than dreading getting up in the morning because you have to go to work and even when the pay cheque is substantial, there really is no price that you can put on being there for your children, your spouse and being able to sustain a healthy mental outlook.  You also need to consider the projected developments in the industry that will define growth and continued labour stability as technology is driving change in the marketplace and impacting jobs across the board. There is a lot more to consider than the salary.