If you dropped out of high school at year 10, have no real tertiary qualifications to speak of and have only really performed manual type labour in the past, you can still earn a very healthy wage in Australia with many of the unskilled news jobs up for grabs. The really great thing about the mining industry in Australia is that there simply isn’t enough workers.
The mining industry is literally screaming out for them, and you don’t necessarily have to be an engineer or a chemical technician to secure a mining job either. There are plenty of unskilled mining jobs going up for grabs in the mining industry in Australia, all paying impressive pay rates which you would never be able to match with a common job in the major cities. So what types of mining jobs are available that do not require much if any experience to fill?
All these basic unskilled jobs might sound simple and even unexciting but in a mine, they will pay nearly three times as much doing the same job in the city.
So why would mines pay so much for unskilled workers?
Mainly due to the isolation, the vast majority of Australian mines are out in the sticks, in the middle of nowhere and in quite inhospitable areas which are very dry and hot for almost all of the year.
What about accommodation? Accommodation around most mining sites is generally in extremely short supply, especially in Northern Queensland I have had reports of very shrewd real estate agents demanding ridiculous rents simply because they know miners are well paid and they are unafraid of charging ‘what the market will bear’. Unfortunately local housing around many mining sites is a contentious issue but many mining companies are providing their own solution to this problem by shipping in removable accommodation modules, although they are not exactly family friendly they do the job for any committed and hardworking mining worker and they help mine workers keep more of their pay.
So where is the best place to get an unskilled mining job? Western Australia is without doubt the best place to secure a mining job, the mining sites around Kalgoorlie are probably the most desperate for workers in all of Australia and although accommodation is very basic on most sites. Although be prepared for the isolation and heat, all around the Kalgoorlie area there is little more than rocks and dust and the temperature can get above 45 degrees in the shade in summer.
How do I apply for mining jobs? The best way to apply for a mining job is to travel to the mining area itself and find a job agency in the nearest town and apply. If your unskilled and inexperienced at working in a mine its a given that a mining company will not offer you a fly in, fly out job. Although if you show the initiative of travelling to the mining areas yourself and applying at the local town’s employment agency, it will show that you are serious about getting out there in the heat and dust and are prepared to work up a sweat.
How can I prepare for an unskilled mining job? Even if you are looking to secure an unskilled mining job it is worthwhile to do a few courses such as the MARCSTA or Mining and Resource Contractors Safety Training Association course, and if you’re interested in driving dump trucks then obtaining your HR license is a must before you head of to the mining areas. Also it’s an excellent idea to do your advanced first aid course before you set off for the mines.
