Findings from an independent pilot study by technology firm, CoverCard, for the Minerals Council of Australia (MCA) highlight that the demand for mining workers across Australia is continuing to grow and foster new job opportunities – particularly in regional communities.
Using a database of more than four million mining-related jobs and skills, the study’s analysts evaluated employment trends in blue-collar jobs by applying an identification algorithm to more than 140,000 job advertisements in the resources sector.
The study found that:
- Over the past three years, job demand was the largest in Western Australia (33 per cent of advertised mining jobs, or 46,215 on the site) followed by Queensland (29 per cent, or 40,613) and New South Wales (22 per cent 30,810 jobs).
- Job demand in Australia was up 120 per cent in the three months to November 2018 (16,000 positions) compared to the three months to March 2016 (6,000 positions).
- Fly-in, fly-out (FIFO) options recorded the highest advertising frequency in the Northern Territory (46 per cent) followed by Western Australia (32 per cent). The largest growth in references to FIFO was in NSW.
- Overall, national FIFO requirement in advertisements across the period was approximately 18 per cent or 24,779 positions.
Additionally, the study revealed that there was strong interest in skilled Australian workers able to operate in high-risk environments, based on an analysis of licence requirements.
Forklift operators, working safely at heights and working on boom-type elevating work platforms and safely working in confined spaces were the most sought-after employees.
Basic and Advanced rigging tickets, as well as construction induction cards, were frequently included in job descriptions by employers.
There was also a notable interest in people with handling crane payloads (‘dogging’) skills.
Regionally, there was high demand for Gas Test Atmospheres’ certificate in Western Australia while in Queensland, employers needed workers with the High-Risk Licence: CB Bridge and Gantry Crane Licence.
MCA General Manager – Workforce, Dr Gavin Lind said the analysis provides industry and job-seekers with an excellent understanding of which skills are in demand as the mining industry continues to grow and provide highly paid, high skilled jobs in regional Australia.
“This analysis not only shows an industry continuing to grow and employ people in regional Australia, but it will also help people wanting to work in mining to target their choice of qualification,” Dr Lind said.
“Training institutions will also now have better information on which qualifications are most in demand across mining regions,” he added.