Advice on How to Score an Unskilled Mining Job

If you’re looking to get your foot in the door within the mining industry the best thing you can initially do is do some research!

Research 

Spend some time researching mine industry websites in order to get a feel for what type of mine jobs there are on a mine sites.

If you have no mining experience and little in the way of industry relevant training, doing your homework on what types of unskilled mining jobs are available and what you can seriously see yourself doing is a great way to steer yourself towards employment in the mining industry.

Mining recruiters get frustrated with applicants who apply to do ‘anything’ as it shows that an applicant has no real ‘focus’ on any particular employment role or job type.

Certificates/Documentation

The next step is the investigate what tickets and licences are required or are looked on ‘favourably’ by mining recruiters for the particular mining position you have chosen to target. For most mine jobs, a number of licences, tickets and qualification are either required or looked upon favourably by mine recruiters.

Look to obtain the more generic mine tickets first, as they will not only be cheaper to obtain; but also are essential for you to even step foot onto a mine site.

Essential Mine Tickets/Qualifications/Documents 

Police Clearance
MARCSTA (Mine Safety Training)
Advanced First Aid Certificate

While having a Police Clearance may not be required for all mine sites, but for the majority of mining operations police checks are the standard.

Safety on a mine site is of the utmost importance, and having the MARCSTA certificate is required on most mining sites and at the very least ‘highly regarded’ by all mining employers and recruiters. Also having an Advanced First Aid certificate will be another feather in your cap and show recruiters that you understand and appreciate the importance of safety on a mine site.

Resume Preparation 

Even if you have no mining experience or specific mining related training, it is still extremely worthwhile preparing a polished resume for your targeted mining position.

The key really is to relate non mining work experience to the mining position you’re targeting. For example if you were targeting a dump truck position and you have experience as a freight courier or truck driver, you really need to sell your experience and expertise of previous work experience into the position and role that your targeting.

Networking

Do some networking to see what positions are available at which mine sites and what the conditions of employment are at each site.

Things such as……

• Accommodation 
• Meals 
• Work rosters 
• Site access 

At this point you really need to identify which area and mine site you’re looking to gain employment in. As the next step will probably require you to travel into the area of the site and apply at the site’s recruiter’s office for the best possible chance of securing an unskilled mining job.