Engineering (1 Viewer)

[Bekhit]

Whats everyone know about mining engineering.
Job propects, type of work, hours, location of work, length of work assignments, salary(i know graduate starts from 90-120k)

anything really that can increase ma knowledge about this specilisation.
ive been offered civil engineerin but might fink bout mining/

 

[nimrod_dookie]

Note: Not all graduate salaries are 90-120k. BHP Billiton, OZ Minerals and OneSteel all quoted approx 65-70k when you go through their graduate programs but once you go into senior positions, you can exceed 200k (However, civil has similar salaries when you get into senior positions).

There are great job prospects (but I'm in South Aus which is absolutely booming) but many of these are in remote locations. You can live onsite or in nearby towns or do FIFO. Length of work assignments can vary but most places are about 2 to 3 weeks.

The work varies, particularly if you are in a graduate program. Aslong as you aren't adverse to being outdoors or getting dirty from time to time, then you should be fine. However, if you are passionate about doing civil and just think mining will be good cause of the money, don't do mining cause you won't last the distance.

 

[Miner]

once you go into senior positions, you can exceed 200k

Expect to work a LOT of years of working before this kind of salary is on the table. Those who make it into senior management positions won't get much higher than this. At upper levels it tends to be share options and other fringe benefits that go onto the table rather than extra $, and those can be pretty dodgy at times like this. For example even a million shares in Oz Minerals wouldn't be doing any senior execs much good at the moment.

Tradies earn more than most engineers in mining, so if it is dollars you want from mining then do an apprenticeship and save yourself the HECS debt. Permanently employed Engineers (as opposed to consultants) are on set rates and get nothing extra for overtime, callouts etc

However, civil has similar salaries when you get into senior positions.

Currently a much better option than taking Mining Engineering, plus there's no need to live or work on mining sites to get the dollars.



Off Topic: nimrod_dookie did you ever find your Nokia 6300? The cheeky buggar sitting next to me in the Wet Mess told me to ask.

 

[Bekhit]

Expect to work a LOT of years of working before this kind of salary is on the table. Those who make it into senior management positions won't get much higher than this. At upper levels it tends to be share options and other fringe benefits that go onto the table rather than extra $, and those can be pretty dodgy at times like this. For example even a million shares in Oz Minerals wouldn't be doing any senior execs much good at the moment.

Tradies earn more than most engineers in mining, so if it is dollars you want from mining then do an apprenticeship and save yourself the HECS debt. Permanently employed Engineers (as opposed to consultants) are on set rates and get nothing extra for overtime, callouts etc



Currently a much better option than taking Mining Engineering, plus there's no need to live or work on mining sites to get the dollars.



Yeh i forgot to ask about that.Is ther ever office jobs in the mining specilisation and are the conditions and salary the same?

 

[Miner]

Is ther ever office jobs in the mining specilisation

The majority of mining engineering work is office based, however during a grad program you'd be spending a lot more time "on the tools" than you would later in your career.

If by "office jobs" you mean city based, then of course there are city-based engineering jobs, you're just far less likely to land one of them straight out of uni, plus you'd be stupid to take one because of the restrictions that would place on your future promotion propects.

and are the conditions and salary the same?

Of course not!!!!!

About the only condition that won't change is that you will still be subject to mining companies (not as random as they pretend it is) random drug and alcohol testing and their zero tolerance approach to positive tests.

 

[nimrod_dookie]

Off Topic: nimrod_dookie did you ever find your Nokia 6300? The cheeky buggar sitting next to me in the Wet Mess told me to ask.

No I never did. I went and got a new phone. I know someone pinched it but it doesn't matter too much, it was a piece of shit and I was to going get rid of it.

Btw...who are you guys, since you must know who I am then .

 

[Miner]

Btw...who are you guys, since you must know who I am then .

I'm not a guy and I personally don't know you. Pays to bear in mind though that the mining community is pretty small given the mobility of those that work within it, so make every impression one that will be remembered in a positive light.

 

[nimrod_dookie]

Oh ok...well I knew you were female. I was just a little about the Nokia 6300 comment because I only sent out a search email via dynamics so I assumed that anyone who knew about that would know who I am (and I would probably know them) as they would have to be in my dynamics lecture. Who was the cheeky bugger who asked? With the good impressions comment, I do realise the small size of the mining community and if that was an attack of any of my actions I'm a little confused because I can't remember doing anything at uni or on the mining trip that would have upset anyone. I was pretty quiet and kept to my own little group of friends and at uni, I just get in and get out, I can't remember provoking anyone or anything. I'm really sorry if I've upset anyone, dunno how but I am sorry if I did :S.

 

[Miner]

if that was an attack of any of my actions I'm a little confused

Seems more like paranoia.

Bekhit, what aspect of mining engineering interests you enough to consider it as a future career? I ask because in my experience those that get to the point of course selection that don't already know what is involved in the job, probably aren't interested enough in it as a career to pursue it. The dollar signs are really hard to push out of the way, but consider you'll probably be working 12 hour shifts for 21 days in a row without break, and the money isn't as easy as it first appears. We are talking about 84 hour weeks here for three weeks without a break, which is more than double the hours other grads will work. Plus you still lose some of your week off with travel back home and returning to site. Many of the companies now are only flying employees to the state capital as well, rather than to your home state.

Plus you'll be in the middle of nowhere in extreme climates. I lived through one stretch of 45 days in a row over 40C and no refrigerated air conditioners as company housing in places like Roxby Downs are all evaporative cooling, so it was like living in a bloody sauna. Places like Olympic Dam where housing is provided will normally expect engineers to live in the town full-time and contribute to the life of the town, although they'll usually be on a different roster. It really isn't a job for everyone. If you love the city lifestyle then stick to civil engineering.

 

[nimrod_dookie]

lol, sorry Miner for being paranoid. Was just curious as to who would know my identity on here and would connect me to the missing Nokia 6300. Totally thought I had a secret Bruce Wayne/Batman identity complex on here .

Bekhit, if I was you, I would pay a lot of attention to Miner's comments. She knows the mining lifestyle well, I would say better than anyone else on these forums. Like she said, if you like the city and find the outback to be abhorrent, then do stick to civil and don't focus on the money cause civil will prove financially fruitful if you are a good engineer. You seriously don't get paid just or having a piece of paper that says "B.Engineering (Mine)", you earn every dollar in often quite extreme conditions.

 

[Bekhit]

yeh thanks miner

im interested in engineering in general.but its the mining lifestyle of that specialisation that makes you think twice...wat are you plans down the track though?? u going to headd into managment or something because im sure you comtinue like that for your whole career.

 

[Miner]

im sure you comtinue like that for your whole career.

Not likely in the long term.

The mining lifestyle can be great for singles if you make the effort to be part of the community, but most marriages don't survive once the kids come along. FIFO or resident, doesn't seem to matter when it comes to divorce rates. That isn't what I want for my future.

 

[wrxsti]

Mining boom will end in six months, watch this space

Construction boom will end in five months.

 

[tommykins]

Boom boom boom boom, I want you in my room.
We'lll spend the night together,
From now until forever.

 

[Miner]

there is going to be an infurstructure boom

And where is all the steel and copper going to come from?

 

[nimrod_dookie]

Steel and Copper......tsk,tsk,tsk, what were you thinking Miner? We all know that popsticks will be the material of choice in the infrastructure boom .

 

[wrxsti]

And where is all the steel and copper going to come from?

copper?

Although steel and concrete are the bread and butter for the construction/infrastructure industry, new materials are being developed. Polystyrene is a very popular chose among home building.

 

[Miner]

copper?

Cables and piping . . . you know for things like power, hot water, gas, airconditioning. D'Oh

Polystyrene is a very popular chose among home building.

I very much doubt that home building is the kind of infurstructure[sic] Musk was talking about.

 

[wrxsti]

Cables and piping . . . you know for things like power, hot water, gas, airconditioning. D'Oh

How about ceramic tiles for tiling kitchen floors......THINK BIG! LOSER D'OH

I very much doubt that home building is the kind of infurstructure[sic] Musk was talking about.

Nonetheless its an example of how new materials are shaping the construction industry. With a large focus on green energy, new materials are being sort out rapidly.

 

[Hakz]

cheap labor is going to boom