92,000 Workers Needed in Australia

James Frost From: The Australian May 15, 2012 12:00AM

THE Reserve Bank says the mining sector could soon account for every second job created in Australia, as the economy undergoes a series of major structural adjustments.
As RBA deputy governor Philip Lowe yesterday outlined the many challenges that uneven economic growth presents, he returned again and again to the mining industry and the circumstances of our once-in-a-century investment boom.

"Indeed, it would not be surprising if, over the next few years, growth in mining-related employment, broadly defined, was as high as one-half of the total jobs growth in the Australian workforce," Dr Lowe said at the ADC Future Summit in Melbourne.

The central bank's acknowledgment of the role of mining companies follows last week's better-than-expected job figures and a federal budget that was poorly received by business for failing to deliver a cut to the company tax rate.

It came as an executive of Moody's Investors Service, Debra Roane, warned state governments they would need to rein in spending to protect their credit ratings.

As the Australian dollar momentarily dipped below parity for the first time since last December and NAB currency strategists forecast a a drift to US98c by September, the message from the RBA was that currency-exposed businesses should enjoy the respite while they could.

"It's highly likely that Australia will continue to have quite a high exchange rate for years to come," Dr Lowe said.

But despite the difficulties a strong dollar presents for industries competing internationally, Mr Lowe said there were many reasons for Australians to be optimistic. "It is important that we do not lose sight of the considerable benefits to Australia from the lift in the prices of our key exports and the unprecedented level of investment taking place" he said.

The mining sector's surge in demand for workers would not be limited to those in the frontline -- the extracting and processing of our natural resources -- but would extend to accounting, construction, legal services, project management and human resources, he said.

Dr Lowe said that the mining sector accounted for between 16 per cent and 17 per cent of GDP; however, he acknowledged that on some estimates the contribution rose as high as 20 per cent.

Jobs growth of the non-mining parts of the economy, however, is expected to be below trend, according to Dr Lowe, with sectors such as manufacturing and housing construction to remain under pressure.

Dr Lowe said the RBA -- which cut the cash rate by 50 basis points at this month's meeting -- had been caught off guard by the extent to which various sectors outperformed and underperformed.

"While the Reserve Bank had long expected a very large lift in investment in the resources sector in 2011 -- and indeed this occurred -- the increase was even larger than had been forecast," he said.

"The biggest surprise was probably in terms of home building. We had expected dwelling approvals to pick up gradually over 2011 but this pick-up did not eventuate."

Inflation had also undershot the central bank's expectations considerably, as mining-related investments placed less pressure on domestic capacity constraints than projections suggested.

"This composition of demand growth with its heavy weight on mining-related investment, which tends to be very import intensive, has contributed to very strong growth in aggregate imports," he said. "There has been less pressure on domestic capacity than earlier expected."

"Know the true value of time; snatch, seize, and enjoy every moment of it. No idleness, no laziness, no procrastination: never put off till tomorrow what you can do today."
- Lord Chesterfield

Where are the mining industry jobs in Australia?
Recently the Australian mining industry has experienced a high demand for skilled employees. It is estimated that in the next 12 years a further 86,000 people will be needed. Of these it is thought that 30% of these employees will be tradesmen, 30% will be skilled operators and 10% will be professionals.

Traditionally most mining jobs in Australia have been in Western Australia and Queensland, but now there are many mining related jobs available in most of the other Australian States and the Northern Territory.

What sort of people can work in the Australian mining industry?
Specific job skills can vary from site to site, however Australian mining companies generally want people who:
Are safety conscious
Have a positive attitude
Are in good physical and mental health
Want to work in remote locations;

What is the mining industry employment minimum age?
You must be over 16 years old and companies really prefer you to have finished Year 12 or an equivalent vocational or university course.
(The educ system here is 6 yrs grade school and 6 yrs hi-sch. Finishing Year 12 means hi-sch grad. I shouldn't be posting this. Kai mawad-an kog prospects. Ang akong gipangita is 16-yr-old Pinay )

How much can I earn in the Australian mining industry?
Mining industry salaries can range from $40,000 to $260,000+ AUD but it depends on your experience and qualifications.

What qualifications do I require for a skilled, trade or operator job?
TAFE accredited Certificates – level III or higher in a relevant area
Heavy vehicle (HR) licence and experience in operating heavy machinery

The following certificates are also good to have
first aid certificate and a pre-employment medical examination
Mining and Resource Contractors Safety Training Association (MARCSTA) accreditation

Mining Job - Heavy Vehicle Mechanic

Heavy vehicle and other types of engine repair, maintenance and testing. For the role of heavy vehicle mechanic you may be asked to complete the following tasks.

Repair and maintain diesel and petrol/gas vehicles. These types of vehicles may include trucks, buses, bulldozers etc. and also generators, pumps and compressors.

Diagnose mechanical and electrical faults.

Mining Job - Plant Mechanic

Plant mechanics may be asked to:

Maintain and repair all on-site machinery
Carry out vehicle services


Money
Service Crew underground: $65,000 to $130,000
Heavy Duty Fitter/Diesel Mechanic: $70,000 to $130,000

Different Mining Job Roles

Mining Job - Electrician

Within the mining sector electricians are employed to install and maintain electrical systems such as setting up and maintaining power supplies to the mining plant and accommodation units.

They are also often asked to:

Install electrical wiring and circuits for extensions to work sites.
Set up high voltage switching.
Carry out maintenance on a variety of equipment.
Install cables and connect switches and fittings.
Test electrical circuits.

Money
Typical average salaries are as follows
Electrician – General Maintenance: $75,000 to $130,000+
Auto Electrician on the surface – $80,000 to $135,000+
Auto Electrician underground - $80,000 to $140,000+
Leading Hand: $85,000 to $135,000+

Mining Job - Miner
Miners operate the equipment to excavate and transport the ore, coal and rock at underground or open-cut mines.

Examples of specialist mining roles are airleg miners, jumbo and longhole drill operators, continuous mining machine operators, longwall miner operators and mechanical bogger operators.

Money
Bogger Operator: $80,000 to $130,000
Jumbo Operator: $85,000 to $180,000
Service Crew: $65,000 to $130,000

Lyndon Schneiders From: The Australian May 19, 2012 12:00AM

THIS week the government of Western Australia dispatched about 200 police officers to the sleepy tourist town of Broome to do the dirty work for several of the world's largest oil and gas companies.
So is this the new Australia, produced by the longest mining boom in our history? One in which the views of residents and traditional owners are meaningless and where the state provides armies of foot soldiers, free of charge, to the big end of town? All this while the companies behind the project remain stony silent about actions taken in their name to divide and destroy Broome.

Before, Las Vegas was nothing but a stopover for truckies in the middle of the desert. Today, it’s a paradise for gamblers.
Broome will be like Las Vegas. Thirty years ago, it was almost like a ghost town. Believe the nude beach was set up mainly to attract tourists. Otherwise, nobody will go there. With this mining boom, only a matter of time, it will become a bustling metropolis of casinos.
Oh, yes, there’ll be heaps of lovely young Pinay miners going there during their roster off for r&r (relaxation and recreation) which includes, of course, gambling. With plenty of money, why not?

Hmmmm! Think I should settle there instead of go home. Hehehe.

“We must go beyond textbooks, go out into the bypaths and untrodden depths of the wilderness and travel and explore and tell the world the glories of our journey.” 
- John Hope Franklin
 

"All travel has its advantages. If the passenger visits better countries, he may learn to improve his own. And if fortune carries him to worse, he may learn to enjoy it."
- Samuel Johnson