Does anyone work in the mining industry in WA?

[XRchic]

Originally Posted by schmidty

Ha. There is plent of money to be made in a lot of jobs where you work hard and gt your hands dirty now because majority of school leavers are heading down the academic path. If you're prepared to work hard and get dirty in an area that has nothing else going for it but the dirty work, then its even bigger bucks. I just checked the alcan jobs and they have all of their positions filled at this stage. Gove peninsula is up the top of NT.
Here's the link to the project anyway.
http://www.alcan.com.au/home/content.asp?PageID=313
Will talk to my mates in kal and see if they know of anything going and what the requiremenst are to get the jobs. Like everything in life, just gotta know the right people!

Cheers mate. And yeah, its not what you know, its who you know! I must not know enough people in Adelaide.... LOL

[XRchic]

Originally Posted by schmidty

Just called one of my mates up and he said its a great time to be looking for a job. Said basically you'd need to go over with enough bucks to live for about 4 weeks while you do the induction and said he'll need a makstar which apparently is a qualification gained from completing a safety course. That's also done in the 2 weeks. Then you work the first 2 weeks to get paid. Hence the reason for needing money to survive for 4 weeks (2 weeks training & 2 weeks work.) They work a 10 day fortnight, where i think they do 10 nights, 4 days off, then 10 days. Shifts are 12 hours, 12am - 12pm, and 12pm - 12am. Reasonably easy work. If you want some phone numbers, let me know. Can put you in touch with HR manager at the company, or with my mate so you can find out more about it from a workers perspective.

Cheers, Ben

Thanks Ben! Cheers for taking the time to do that! We are defintely going to owe you more than a few drinks on our next visit to Geelong!!!

The numbers would be great! This is all in Kalgoorlie then? 4 weeks isnt too bad, is it? I guess its mainly the relocation and finding a place to live that would be more of a problem...

Cheers

Jac and Eamon

[Ian]

With your other half having a trade certificate, It shouldn't be a problem getting a start anywhere. I work for Pilbara Iron doing fly in fly out and our maintenance dept is taking light vehicle mechanics and getting them up to speed as heavy equipment fitters. Best advice is to lodge an online resume with any of the larger companies and see what comes your way. With the growth in the industry at the moment (iron ore), there are just not enough qualified tradespeople around to fill the jobs. I'm a production supervisor and getting skilled operators is hard enough. We do all our training on site so all you need is a clean drivers licence and a good attitude to get through the selection criteria. Money for jam

[schmidty]

Originally Posted by XRchic

Thanks Ben! Cheers for taking the time to do that! We are defintely going to owe you more than a few drinks on our next visit to Geelong!!!

The numbers would be great! This is all in Kalgoorlie then? 4 weeks isnt too bad, is it? I guess its mainly the relocation and finding a place to live that would be more of a problem...

Cheers

Jac and Eamon

Yeah its all in Kal. When i was talking to my mate i said "hey, don't work too hard"

His reply was " hey if watching movies on my psp and sending sms is hard work, then i'm working my a$$ off."

They enjoy it anyway. Eamon could always few weeks by head over for the first 4 weeks by himself to suss everythig out and see how he liked it. I'll PM the numbers anyway.

Cheers, and best of luck.

Ben

[XRchic]

Originally Posted by schmidty

Yeah its all in Kal. When i was talking to my mate i said "hey, don't work too hard"

His reply was " hey if watching movies on my psp and sending sms is hard work, then i'm working my a$$ off."

They enjoy it anyway. Eamon could always few weeks by head over for the first 4 weeks by himself to suss everythig out and see how he liked it. I'll PM the numbers anyway.

Cheers, and best of luck.

Ben

You, mate, are a legend! Thanks

[lush]

Hi Schmidty

Would you mind PM'ing me the numbers also? I already work in the industry but have a friend trying to get in over in WA. Has a trade certificate but in a non related field, and was thinking of going over to WA for a couple of years and seeing how he went in the mines.

Thanks Kindly!

[Disco1986]

i have some questions, much money do you pull in a week/fortnight for a qualified trades person, eg A class sparky. Also what is the cost of living like up thier?

[xbgs351]

Originally Posted by MO

Cobra just a thought apply to the mines for what you think you can qualify for and when you get the job then go for everything under the sun that will improve your situation.

Remember....confidence..i.e. I can do that...and nothing ventured nothing gained.

I once had the aquaintence of a bloke who came out from Scotland,had no quals whatsoever bluffed his way through interveiw...got to site...was given job on x machine and said we didn't have these where I was how does it work...was shown and never looked backed.

BINGO, experience means SFA! Capabaility means everything. Who would you prefer to employ, someone who has been doing the job wrong for 10 years, or someone that can pick it up at a heartbeat?

[xbgs351]

The hours are what puts me off mine work. I could pull a stupendous wage in WA mines, but 12 hour days would leave me totally exhausted. ipso facto not worth it for me.

[XRchic]

Originally Posted by xbgs351

The hours are what puts me off mine work. I could pull a stupendous wage in WA mines, but 12 hour days would leave me totally exhausted. ipso facto not worth it for me.

LOL soft! :

Ive done some pretty hard 12+ hour days plenty of times before and in some pretty harsh conditions. 12 hour days are not that uncommon in any industry. Eamon is a mechanic and his conditions are pretty average as well and its hard work physically.

As I said above, my grandfather worked in the Tanamai Desert mines. Back in the 1930s. No machinery, no days off, hardly any water, food rations, loooooong days and extreme conditions (ie heat around 60 degrees). I dont reckon heaps of people could do that sort of work these days!

That work for Alcan on the Gove Peninsula in the NT would be pretty tough work though!!!

[MO]

XRchic...if you guys are serious about change...then bite the bullett do it for 2 to 5 yrs reap the rewards ...get out and get easy work.

It will be worth it....a few years of crap for the future!

[xbgs351]

Originally Posted by XRchic

LOL soft! :

Ive done some pretty hard 12+ hour days plenty of times before and in some pretty harsh conditions. 12 hour days are not that uncommon in any industry. Eamon is a mechanic and his conditions are pretty average as well and its hard work physically.

As I said above, my grandfather worked in the Tanamai Desert mines. Back in the 1930s. No machinery, no days off, hardly any water, food rations, loooooong days and extreme conditions (ie heat around 60 degrees). I dont reckon heaps of people could do that sort of work these days!

That work for Alcan on the Gove Peninsula in the NT would be pretty tough work though!!!

Yeah, a mate of mine is a mechanic and whenever I drop by (once or twice a ear) It is readily apparent that he is a s_h_tkicker as his boss will step in after I have been there for ten minutes. It really make me appreciate my employer who couldn't care how long a friend of mine drops by, as he knows that I make $$$$$$$ for him. I can happily work 40 to 50 hours a week, but if I work long hours I rapidly fall in a heap. I have had Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and although I have recovered I still feel some of it's effects. I may be a able to cycle for 8 hours in the mountains, but I can't cope with a 12 hour working day.

[XRchic]

Originally Posted by xbgs351

Yeah, a mate of mine is a mechanic and whenever I drop by (once or twice a ear) It is readily apparent that he is a s_h_tkicker as his boss will step in after I have been there for ten minutes. It really make me appreciate my employer who couldn't care how long a friend of mine drops by, as he knows that I make $$$$$$$ for him. I can happily work 40 to 50 hours a week, but if I work long hours I rapidly fall in a heap. I have had Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and although I have recovered I still feel some of it's effects. I may be a able to cycle for 8 hours in the mountains, but I can't cope with a 12 hour working day.

Ohhhh CFS. I am very sorry for calling you soft mate, I wasnt serious but still.... Apologies mate. It must be hard to work any sort of day really! Actually I see your point... some things we can do for a LONG period of time and others for not long at all. For me, boredom is the killer, and being inside. I like busy, interesting, outdoor jobs with a lot of intensity which makes the day go quick and which makes you feel like you have done something.

My current job is the opposite - I sit in front of a computer all day (10-11 hours), with zero pressure, max boredom, max boring work (tax law, cmon!) and totally no variation or outside work at all... I loathe it. Some like it. I dont. I have trouble staying awake...

But when I was a nurse, the hours were long, the pressure was there, the work was varied and interesting, and while there wasnt much outdoor stuff, there was a physical component and a lot of people contact and a lot of running around... was a great job looking back on it...

Working in the mines, I could handle that.

And yes, mechanics just about get the worst pay for the worst treatment out there, considering all they have to know and the pressure of the work environment... it is almost criminal.

[FordFan86]

I've had a quick read over this thread Jaq and see Dan has mentioned Roxby Downs?
One of my tafe lecturers was a qualified diesel mechanic/safety inspector/ gas system installer. The conditions and pay while he was up there are well above average (according to him) long hours are generally needed to be put in tho (12 hours, rotating shifts). It may be an avenue for Eamon if he's willing to expand a bit more

[XRchic]

Originally Posted by FordFan86

I've had a quick read over this thread Jaq and see Dan has mentioned Roxby Downs?
One of my tafe lecturers was a qualified diesel mechanic/safety inspector/ gas system installer. The conditions and pay while he was up there are well above average (according to him) long hours are generally needed to be put in tho (12 hours, rotating shifts). It may be an avenue for Eamon if he's willing to expand a bit more

Yeah I thought that sounded like a good idea too and I looked it up on the website. I think it was a BHP Billiton site. In any case, Roxby has run out of land and accommodation and workers/families are turning back contracts because they cant get residential places up there... I think the town is lobbying BHP to sell some of its Crown land so at least some people can build up there.

There is supposedly a new Thiess site going up near Coober Pedy called Prominent Hill, which I have put in an application for, but that is a fly in fly out sort of work, with no residential set up.

Will probably end up going for the Kalgoorlie option, where there is decent residential areas and lots of mining work generally (I think its Bluescope Steel area)...

Still considering options really...

[GT-P 390]

Originally Posted by XRchic

Law is the most useless degree I could have done.

: What do you mean...it's been great to me.

[GT-P 390]

Originally Posted by schmidty

I have 4 mates the moved to kalgoorlie 12 months ago to work in the mines. They got jobs with aus drill, and basically do exploration drilling in the super pit whick is a massive open cut mine. They started on 70k, then after about 3 months went up to 85k, now are on something closer to 95k as they are qualified drillers operating drill rigs now instead of assisting. If u supervise a crew apparently it goes up. And open cut is a lot safer and better for you than beaconsfield stye!
Before they left i was looking into mining jobs just out of curiosity. Alcan have an alumina refinery on the Gove peninsula which had jobs advertised for qualified industrial trades such as industrial elecs. The going rate was for A 12 month contract, 2 months on, 2 weeks off, $440k PA after tax and living expenses. Trades assistants were on $350k. Apparently its 1 of the harshest places in the country to work, and 12 hour shifts for 2 months straight at a time would hurt! But its that remote there is nothing to spend your money on! Think thats a single mans job anyway!

Ausdrill have a site: www.ausdrill.com.au

They seem good to work for. And my mates had no qualifications or training before they left, spent a week or 2 training when they got there and that was it!

Good luck with the job hunting

Cheers

Gee I don't know where the $$ figures came from that you've been told but the comapny I work for runs the maintenance and does minor capital works at Gove in the NT and they get no where near that. $100-150k is more realistic depending on skill level.

[GT-P 390]

Originally Posted by XRchic

Ohhhh CFS. I am very sorry for calling you soft mate, I wasnt serious but still.... Apologies mate. It must be hard to work any sort of day really! Actually I see your point... some things we can do for a LONG period of time and others for not long at all. For me, boredom is the killer, and being inside. I like busy, interesting, outdoor jobs with a lot of intensity which makes the day go quick and which makes you feel like you have done something.

My current job is the opposite - I sit in front of a computer all day (10-11 hours), with zero pressure, max boredom, max boring work (tax law, cmon!) and totally no variation or outside work at all... I loathe it. Some like it. I dont. I have trouble staying awake...

But when I was a nurse, the hours were long, the pressure was there, the work was varied and interesting, and while there wasnt much outdoor stuff, there was a physical component and a lot of people contact and a lot of running around... was a great job looking back on it...

Working in the mines, I could handle that.

And yes, mechanics just about get the worst pay for the worst treatment out there, considering all they have to know and the pressure of the work environment... it is almost criminal.

Look for a job as Contract Administrator on capital works projects like:

Ravensthorpe Nickel Project - South West of WA. Nickel mine undergoing $2B expansion. The EPCM is RJV (Ravensthorpe Joint Venture) and all the names on teh list I supplied earlier have or are doing work there. $75K PA is easily achievable.

BHP Billiton Area C Expansion - This is part of the $3B upgrade to BHP's iron ore production capacity at the Yandi / Area C mines. It is located in the Pilbara and would be a good location. Expect an extra $10k to work in the north west.

The list goes on.......

[schmidty]

Originally Posted by GT-P 390

Gee I don't know where the $$ figures came from that you've been told but the comapny I work for runs the maintenance and does minor capital works at Gove in the NT and they get no where near that. $100-150k is more realistic depending on skill level.

I didnt believe it when i saw it either, so i went to their website and saw it with my own eyes! And minor capital works and maintainance, was that part of the $2 billion expansion of the alumina refinery? Anyway, i can't prove it as this was 12 months ago at least that i saw the page advertised, and i'm not going to call them to ask what the workers are on! I tell ya though if i was stuck in Gove, working 2 months of 12 hour shifts, and 2 weeks off, for 12 month, i'd be wanting a hell of a lot more then 150k.

[GT-P 390]

Originally Posted by XRchic

Yeah I thought that sounded like a good idea too and I looked it up on the website. I think it was a BHP Billiton site. In any case, Roxby has run out of land and accommodation and workers/families are turning back contracts because they cant get residential places up there... I think the town is lobbying BHP to sell some of its Crown land so at least some people can build up there.

There is supposedly a new Thiess site going up near Coober Pedy called Prominent Hill, which I have put in an application for, but that is a fly in fly out sort of work, with no residential set up.

Will probably end up going for the Kalgoorlie option, where there is decent residential areas and lots of mining work generally (I think its Bluescope Steel area)...

Still considering options really...

Kalgoorlie is the richest earning postcode in Australia but recently is catching up in the real estate department. It's now not uncommon for houses to sell in excess of $1M.

[GT-P 390]

Originally Posted by schmidty

I didnt believe it when i saw it either, so i went to their website and saw it with my own eyes! And minor capital works and maintainance, was that part of the $2 billion expansion of the alumina refinery? Anyway, i can't prove it as this was 12 months ago at least that i saw the page advertised, and i'm not going to call them to ask what the workers are on! I tell ya though if i was stuck in Gove, working 2 months of 12 hour shifts, and 2 weeks off, for 12 month, i'd be wanting a hell of a lot more then 150k.

Yeah we did part of it. Now we do $12-18M of work per annum.

The EBA's listing wage rates etc are on the Alcan website. These will give you the figures for each trade plus any applicable allowances.

[schmidty]

Ok, just looked back to where i saw the info about these jobs. It was in june 2005. I've still got a link to the page but it no longer exists. It was advertising for boiler makers, sparkys, and fitters. The listed pay was for $10500 per week, 3 months on, 2 weeks off, with accommodation on top of that which got your tea cooked, lunch packed, and room cleaned.

But, after seeing your post and doing some hunting and reading of the EBA's on the Alcan Gove website, you're right, it doesnt add up. Wierd, because i know what i saw back then, so unless it was a one off, or on behalf of another company subcontracting specialist labour to Alcan, i do not know.

[GT-P 390]

Originally Posted by schmidty

Ok, just looked back to where i saw the info about these jobs. It was in june 2005. I've still got a link to the page but it no longer exists. It was advertising for boiler makers, sparkys, and fitters. The listed pay was for $10500 per week, 3 months on, 2 weeks off, with accommodation on top of that which got your tea cooked, lunch packed, and room cleaned.

But, after seeing your post and doing some hunting and reading of the EBA's on the Alcan Gove website, you're right, it doesnt add up. Wierd, because i know what i saw back then, so unless it was a one off, or on behalf of another company subcontracting specialist labour to Alcan, i do not know.

That's lucky, I nearly changed profession from Solicitor to Electrician after your post :

[XRchic]

All very interesting.

The main thing we are moving for would be for Eamon, since he is currently on **** wages as a mechanic and he is looking to not only do something earning more, but also do something which is going to lead to something better for him.

I would obviously have to get work wherever we go too, which would be nice. I dont really care if it is law based work or not to be honest. I would be happy to drill!

The problem with law for me, is that its boring. I hate it. Im sure there are great jobs in firms around the place but in Adelaide they are hard to get. I did a clerkship at Minter Ellison when I was in my last year of my degree. There was another girl from my year level at Uni there too, doing the same.

I worked my **** off for months. I was really proactive about seeking more and varied work there, I got right into it and after a few months I was handling my own cases, going to court myself, dealing with clients myself etc, etc... I was also really into the social side of the firm too. Plus Ive always been pretty good with computer related stuff, so I actually helped a few people there. Also with my nursing and psych background, I was useful in one of their big areas: workers compensation law. I actually compiled a database of medical stuff for them and put it on their intranet and stuff like that.

I even brought in a VERY large client into an area they were expanding into - hydrology and environmental law. I brought my Dads massive civil engineering firm (specialising in hydrology) as a client. My Dad met with their partners, etc and set up a massive retainer for their work over years!

The other girl doing the clerkship just did the regular stuf. Basic research for senior staff, didnt handle any cases and just did the bare minimum to pass the practical requirements for the degree. She was useless at computers and painfully shy.

I had gotten to know the HR manager really well, and I had made it very clear I was looking to be put on full time, permanent and get started in a career there. Was all looking great with the HR manager told me that the workers comp section was looking to take on someone new. But she said that she had to ask the other girl too, just to be fair.

We both went for it. I didnt have a hope. This girl was married to a priest or something. One of the partners went to their church and knew her hubby well. She got the job. I got nothing. I ended up just getting whatever job I could get just to pay the bills as a single parent with a baby and a young child.

So now Im stuck. And very, very bored and I want to get out.

Im a science and outdoor person anyway, so law was always a dodgy move I guess. If I had a decent job in the private sector, I guess I would think differently but at the moment its hard to be positive about it.

So Im happy to leave my job and the legal field generally if need be. Eamon is my priority when it comes to working at the moment.

[GT290]

Originally Posted by FreezeR

With qualifications we dont have any. Im a qualified carpenter, with a background in pre-cast ( concreting and the like ), which im doing now. My other mate hasnt done a trade before, he's only got his HR licence.

So i think we're pretty lucky!

Why don't you get onto Theiss Jhon Holland for the east link tunnel job. Still tunneling but the slip form work will start soon enough. Good money and as good as any mine with the life style too.

[GT290]

Originally Posted by crusher

We moved from Whyalla, to Roxby and then over here to WA. And its an adventure and a half. Been here over 10 years now and absolutely love it.

Dad started with BHP, moved to WMC and was with them for 16/17 years untill they got taken over by BHP. All a big circle.

But really you dont need much to get out on the mines. My mate has just started with a drilling company and with in a week another one hit him up for a job which has much better pay and everything. He has no qualifications and only has his car licence. No markstar or whatever.

If Eamon doesnt mind doing anything hit up Boart Longyear. They do drilling and are looking for people. Unless they gave him something good to start with you basically start as a General offsider one about 220 a day or some rubbish and then in a few months you go to Drillers offsider and you pay goes up. Then driller one and it goes up alot again. Then driller 2 and so forth. Some very good money. Just one possibility.

Alot of the mechanic jobs are deisel mechs but im sure there are other ones suited for light vehicle mechs as well.

Good luck with it all and If your in Mt barker youll probably end up like us and trying to get out of perth lol. Suburbs suck.

Stay away from dimond drilling even the drillers are **** money. Its a very boring way to earn a living too, forgive the pun. There are better places to start than there. But firstly you want to make sure the resume is ready and up to date. then find out some company names and call the HR department. Its all to easy from there. Try Kambalda which is fifty Ks out of Kalgoorlie. Lots going on there. GBF is an underground contracter to name one. Look on the net for mining contractors australia and there will be a whole list of em come up. Stanley Mining, Brandrill, Ausdrill, Hi Tech Drillers, just to name a few. then theres Byrne cut, mining and more you will find them all on the list complete with addresses and phone numbers.

[Ringo]

Working up there is not just a job...its a lifestyle...big $ but some of the expenses are big to go with it.

Gove is a wasteland, might as well work on an oil rig its that isolated.

I work for a company that has a bit to do with BHP / Bluescope mine workers.....Wages of around $100k for on the tools tradies is about right give or take 10%. Staff turnover is an issue for them....a big issue.....hence the big $.

I have a mate who tried for months to get in anywhere. Great bloke but on paper looked a little flighty (3 widely different jobs in 3 years) No success for him. He was going for process workers jobs (*****kickers) but the pay was $70k. He is driving trucks now and getting paid $50k for 11 hours x 5 days and is much happier.

I feel EAMONS's pain. I was there on the tools, just qualified wondering what I was going to do knowing that this trade was not forever.

Options to think about:

Working for yourself. Charge $50 per hour and keep most of it yourself !

Gaining Engineering quals @ Tafe - It's not that difficult when you have a Mechanics knowledge but its not heaps of fun either. I did mine in 2 stabs.

Fleet Management - These jobs are desk bound, admin based but you talk and think about cars all day.

Gain a teaching Qualification (@ Tafe once again) and go trade school teaching. This can lead onto manufacturer training - I have a mate doing this right now.

Working for Automotive supply company, Tyre companies, Auto supply companies, Insurance Assessors... anywhere your automotive knowledge will be valued

[XRchic]

Originally Posted by Ringo

Working up there is not just a job...its a lifestyle...big $ but some of the expenses are big to go with it.

Gove is a wasteland, might as well work on an oil rig its that isolated.

I work for a company that has a bit to do with BHP / Bluescope mine workers.....Wages of around $100k for on the tools tradies is about right give or take 10%. Staff turnover is an issue for them....a big issue.....hence the big $.

I have a mate who tried for months to get in anywhere. Great bloke but on paper looked a little flighty (3 widely different jobs in 3 years) No success for him. He was going for process workers jobs (*****kickers) but the pay was $70k. He is driving trucks now and getting paid $50k for 11 hours x 5 days and is much happier.

I feel EAMONS's pain. I was there on the tools, just qualified wondering what I was going to do knowing that this trade was not forever.

Options to think about:

Working for yourself. Charge $50 per hour and keep most of it yourself !

Gaining Engineering quals @ Tafe - It's not that difficult when you have a Mechanics knowledge but its not heaps of fun either. I did mine in 2 stabs.

Fleet Management - These jobs are desk bound, admin based but you talk and think about cars all day.

Gain a teaching Qualification (@ Tafe once again) and go trade school teaching. This can lead onto manufacturer training - I have a mate doing this right now.

Working for Automotive supply company, Tyre companies, Auto supply companies, Insurance Assessors... anywhere your automotive knowledge will be valued

Yeah, thanks for that. All good options too!

I think I asked the right people, on here!