help with getting a mining job?

[will i am]

im looking for a job in the mines
i would like to either do what im already doing (mechanic lv)
or HD apprentice
or a driver

any help would be good

thanks
william

[Ben-e-boy]

The only real way of getting in is if you know someone or go in with a contractor. You also need all the generic inductions, and plenty of other tickets and mining experience. With the latest down turn mines are asking for a lot in the way of tickets/qualifications. They have Farmed the shite out so to speak. Where are you looking at going WA, Bowen basin for coal or the Surat basin or CSG?

[93patrol]

or become a kiwi over here in WA at the moment they're everywhere

[will i am]

yea WA is were i want to be based. got some family inlaw there
not fussed on what type off mine.

[93patrol]

get onto seek.com.au and start applying is my suggestion, but they may not want to hire you if your fifo out of NZ

[Stropp]

Mate the way things are going you would be better off where you are, this mining boom here is starting to slow and my feeling is there will be a lot of people out of work soon. You just need to look at the mining companies cancelling pre ordered machines and copping huge penalties to do so, my advice is be cautious and don't move until you get permanent work with one of the big companies don't go for casual work with a contractor as they are first to go when the shite hits the fan then it's last on first off with the permanents.

[Dirk Diggler]

Worst time to try to get a job in mining in about 12 years...

[will i am]

yea want a secure job, gota pay the mortgage, feed and cloth the wife and child
thanks for the advice guys, appreciate it

[nissannewby]

Yeah it's tough at the moment. I work in mining and am between sites at the moment there isn't a great deal around for the secure long term options plenty of short term contract stuff.

[Dirk Diggler]

I work at a mid size mine in the Hunter.. We are weathering the storm pretty well, still putting on fitters and operators.. But most in the valley are pretty fucked. Some worse than others.

[Ben-e-boy]

I work at a mid size mine in the Hunter.. We are weathering the storm pretty well, still putting on fitters and operators.. But most in the valley are pretty fucked. Some worse than others.

I am in the same boat, Except I work in quarries that supply road base for the coal mines haul roads in central Qld. 50 odd people were layed off at the start of the year, the mines went spending money, so they weren't buying product. I survived because there is only 1 sparkie per shift, one of the only contractors who stayed.
There still is money being spent around the place though, there are wash plants being built, the company I work for has a couple of crushing plants on the go for various forms of surface mining companies.

The hunter is mainly coal isn't it?

[Dirk Diggler]

The Hunter is only either coking coal or thermal coal. No other product here. Western NSW has gold and magnetite though.

[ktmarty]

I sort of agree with Ben-e-boy. I recently got on a SEQLD gas pipeline as a TA, no experience, no tickets, no nothing. A mate is a welder on site and put my name up. Without that no chance.

I actually am a qualified sparky and have HC truck, bobcat, backhoe, excavator, loader, forklift but this plus the experience gained on site in QLD didn't seem to count for anything when it came time to apply for other positions ( I wasn't happy where I was ). Applied for heaps and got nothing but rejections, certainly no interviews.

Don't know about mining as such but pipelines are a funny little industry. Everyone knows everyone and you're either in or you're NOT. Good luck

[Beni C]

Its a funny environment over here in WA atm, I work for one of the bigger Iron Ore miners (will let you guess which one) and we are not slowing up by any means. There is still opportunity to make a buck but what you need to do is be employed by the miner and not work for contracting componies that are bought on site to do work, in there lies the challenge.

I am one of the very lucky ones that is staff and I work an office job in the city, not on site and it does pay pretty well. There is a catch though, I had to go back to school at 26 and it took me 4 years to get here, now just turned 30 I am reaping the rewards.

In saying that though dont beleive everything you read in the news, there is still plenty of work over here its just that there is a big focus on reducing operating costs atm and thats where everyone get the impression that the work is drying up. All that means is the contracting companies are getting screwed big time to reduce thier rates and not increase costs.

Good luck with it mate.

[Dirk Diggler]

What do I get for guessing correctly?

Rio tinto

[Beni C]

Not a lot mate, but yeah Rio!!

[4wdreaming]

You would have to be lucky or know someone, to get one here in the bowen basin things have slowed down a lot.

Sent from my GT-I9300 using Motorculture mobile app

[Dirk Diggler]

Not a lot mate, but yeah Rio!!

:D

Things aren't looking that bad for us here, we just kicked off another group induction for 9 operators (pit and chpp) here. And next week 2 fitters start. Thank god as I would seriously hate to be looking for a job in this industry right now..

[BoojaBear]

I work with HD in the mines. Most of the mines and contractors have put out a employment ban.

[4wdreaming]

Hey bear you open cut or under ground with HD
Iam underground workshop

Sent from my GT-I9300 using Motorculture mobile app

[Teamdjbilo]

As some of the guys say better staying where you are!

I am a prime example the industry is slowing, I been working in the mines the past 5 years where I started in Kalgoorlie WA and walked onto a job with in a week. February last year my partner and me relocated back to the east coast and I have been doing FIFO over the past year into the mines in WA and QLD. A little over a month ago our mine went into care and maintenance and over 150 of us was let go! Not only us but another mine I worked at for a bit in North Queensland let go there 150 plus workers at the same time.

Since then I took up residency in Kalgoorlie with some family and friends to try secure a job but there is nothing going literally no one in town is hiring none of the employment agency's have any work and its slowing really badly. With that being said I had a job interview with a major mining company (Barrick) I went through the whole process and was waiting for a few signatures and then got a phone call telling me everything has been put on hold with the company! And it wasn't just the site I was applying for but all there sites as I used to work for them and still know a lot of guys working there.
Anyway I put that aside and applied for others and I got an interview and put through medicals for another major mining company to waiting for paperwork to be signed and then suddenly nope sorry we ceasing hiring at current.

Now for me this is the longest I have been out of work since being in the mining industry as I have many good references and lots of knowledge in my area but its just not enough at the moment.
Don't get me wrong I am still trying but I have stopped flying back and forth to look and am back on the east coast where I am looking locally now just to get by.

Some people reckon its because end of financial year so they cutting costs which i hope so, but a lot of others I know and talk to reckon that it's slowly really bad and it's taking its toll.

So just from my point I would stick what ever job you have at current out and when it bounces back if it does go for it.

Simon

[Teamdjbilo]

There we go just got word my old workin Kalgoorlie laid off over 30 workers not contractors full time employees some been with the company since before I was there!
And seen advertised on seek for a care takers role in north goldfields as the mine got put into care and maintenance.

[jgoose]

My younger bro is in tom price has been there for about 10-12yrs as a plant mech but had some issues with his hands & they put him into the service office to control all services etc he told me lst week that they will be putting ppl off soon as they are running out of dirt & my mate was just put on 12mnths ago on FIFO driving & has just been put off. Last on first off deal

[Teamdjbilo]

Yeah it's insane where it's going

[hershal]

I work for an oil and gas service company, alot of work with the CSG at the moment. There is still some work around for that, but like people say you kind of need to know some one. Problem is with oil and gas though, doesnt pay as well as the mines, and you got to start at the bottom and work your way up. Well with the companies I have been associated with anyways. Good luck in finding work

[Beni C]

Problem is with oil and gas though, doesnt pay as well as the mines

Really? All I have been hearing is there is more money in O&G at the mini that digging up rocks!!

[hershal]

I guess it depends on the rotation too. More days you work the more you get. I currently do a 28 days on 28 days off. Hence only 6 months work a year. I wouldn't make as much as I would If I worked in the mines doing a 4 week on 1 week off rotation. I enjoy my 4 weeks off with the family. It's great. And if I ever need the extra cash I can do so e casual work when I am home.

[RCKIWI]

I used to work in Gold mining but have transitioned over to Oil and Gas, this seems to be a much more secure option long term, and I've seen many of my old mine crew turn up at my latest job too! But just keep applying and be willing to take on the sh!t jobs to get started. I went to my first mine as a bus driver and utilities person (basically a sh!t kicker) and now I supervise a logistics team on a $34 billion dollar Oil and Gas project. Start at the bottom, network the shit out of those who matter, and you'll get there. Just don't give up, it took me a hell of a long time to get that first sh!tty bus driving job and I'll never forget it!

[hershal]

Yeah. You got to start at the bottom in oil and gas. Stick it out and move up.