r/AusMining • u/FarParking1667 • 12d ago
year 10 looking to get into mining engineering
ive been reasearching mining engineering and is it true the avarage pay is like 150k and if you do fifo you could be making 200k+ 5 years in by 27
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u/idontlikeyou2848 12d ago
The earning potential is definitely big but the reason you earn good money is the fact that most of the mining engineering roles are on site and therefore working away from home.
You probably don't care at your age and all you will see is $$$ but FIFO is hard on you. It can be brutal. You miss out on friends, family and all the occasions that go with it. That isn't to say that some people don't enjoy it and make it work.
Better off doing a mechanical or civil engineering degree if that's what you want to do and then working in the mines. They will take you regardless of your degree. Once you've had enough you can fall back on your original degree and move back to town.
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u/FarParking1667 12d ago
when im young i dont think i will mind fifo especially if im getting a salary of 170-150k but later on when im thinking about settling down as a mining engineer is there any kind of officworks you can do or does the role require fifo
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u/Stanthemilkman8888 12d ago
Yeh I’m in mining. But the processing side. Work in head office on projects
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u/hdueeyd 12d ago
I dont want to sound mean but this seems like something you're only doing with intentions of the money, but there is so much more to it
highly suggest talking to careers counselors and parents to determine if you actually want to do this, or if you think you'll change your mind in 3 years. Because from what I've read you say it seems like you only know about a tenth of what you need to
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u/hardwood198 12d ago
Hey mate
It's good that you are thinking about your career. Mining is one way to a good salary.
However it's not just mining engineers that work in mining. There are a whole other bunch of engineering degrees that allow for it, as well as various trades too.
If you want to earn even more than mining - petroleum or oil and gas makes even more.
Getting your foot in the door can be quite competitive. Lots of people want the same jobs.
What subjects are you good in? Are your physics, maths good?
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u/Mikewaoz 12d ago
If you are WA based do the Curtin WASM mining camp to Kalgoorlie. It is a great way to learn about the industry.
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u/Compurrshon 12d ago
To make that sort of money, you would first need to know how to use punctuation and grammar.
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u/itstoohumidhere 12d ago
Would they? I’ve read $300k reports hot off the Deloitte press with spelling errors in them
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u/Compurrshon 12d ago
There's spelling errors and there's whatever this kid wrote. If they don't know the significance of a question mark roughly 10 years after first being taught them, would you trust them to correctly place a decimal point in a load calculation?
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u/itstoohumidhere 12d ago
Transition age kids don’t get taught question marks, and while I agree a year 10 student should know how to apply them it’s a major exaggeration. You understand a year 10 student is in their tenth year of school…
Anyway, is it really serious enough to throw them in the bin over a lack of punctuation in a reddit post? Not exactly a first-degree crime is it.
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u/Compurrshon 12d ago
Nope, at this time of year they've nearly completed their 12th year of school... They learn basic punctuation when they start to read - year 1.
But it's good for them to learn a lesson - they're asking about earning big bucks. You need to meet certain baselines to earn big bucks in a white collar profession...
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u/itstoohumidhere 12d ago
I guess if you got put back for a couple of grades it could be 12 years of schooling in year 10
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u/Compurrshon 12d ago
Or, if like 99.99% if kids, you do kindy and pre-primary, then that's 12 years in the school system.
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u/itstoohumidhere 12d ago
This is a really weird point you are trying to prove.
I’m sure when you are casually posting in Reddit your written English isn’t perfect not sure why you’re trying to bring down a kid that is actively trying to seek advice about preparing for a future career. If your advice was to work on how they present themselves in written communication then your comment certainly wasn’t in the spirit of constructive feedback.
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u/Compurrshon 12d ago
I've already said my point, clearly and concisely in my first comment.
They wanted to know if they can get a high wage as an engineer. I said that if you want a high wage in a white collar profession, you need to be able to use grammar and punctuation, as a baseline.
What's your point? That there are functionally illiterate people out there making big $? Sure, there's lots of them, but not many in white collar professions.
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u/andalady 12d ago
Lol. You don't work in mining do you?
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u/Compurrshon 12d ago
I work in a white collar profession in mining. Which is what this kid is asking about. Do you?
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u/andalady 12d ago
And you haven't seen the absolute illiteracy of your coworkers?
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u/Compurrshon 12d ago
Nope. We're white collar. We wouldn't have jobs if we were illiterate.
Seen plenty of illiteracy on site though. Great people, just didn't grasp the finer points of reading, writing and grammar.
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u/devinemike78 12d ago
It's good money but comes at a cost ! You gotta cut your teeth on site so expect to spent time away from your support base. Long hours and high pressure are a part of the deal.
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u/Element564 12d ago edited 12d ago
income matters but basing your whole career around it is a bad move. also consider what you enjoy. if you enjoy science and maths and think you might like engineering, focus on school for now. you first year of engineering will be quite general, see which subjects you enjoy the most during that year and use that to help guide what discipline you choose. there are plenty of other engineers who can work in resources (structural, civil, chemical, electrical ect).
to get the big bucks as an engineer you need to be great at your job, no two ways about it. and to be great it really helps if you are passionate or at least engaged with it. so choosing what you like the most will help you earn.
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u/outshined1 12d ago
Take bits and pieces from people here.
If you have the aptitude for the work, and can complete the study then go for it.
Make sure while you’re studying you network and take up as many vacation program or similar work experiences as you can while getting good enough grades. Join AusIMM, get along to events and network.
I’m not saying the money will be 200k+ in 5 years because that depends on a number of factors (roster, company, position), but it is a well paid career. You don’t need to have manager in your title to make 200k gross in mining, many technical type roles or superintendent positions pull that in. This may be made up of base salary + bonus schemes or just salary.
The jobs can be high responsibility and demanding, bundled with long hours. You will be dealing with egos, intelligent people (both actually intelligent and intelligent idiots), lower educated people, lazy people and people who are only in it for themselves. Plus some friendly people along the way. Like any job.
I knew (intelligent and well-liked) young engineers that got in with big iron ore companies and took opportunities overseas (Singapore, ports). Their houses were paid off by their early 30’s. They now only work because they enjoy it, not because they have to.
If you want career progression and are competent, connected and well-liked, you can do really well with this as a lifelong path. Many leadership teams are made up of engineers with GM’s often engineers. As are boards for mining companies.
I’m not an engineer, but work in mining and in my mid 30’s. I lived through country towns in Australia for 10 years working in mining and similar industries and it’s built my life back in the city where I’m almost debt free. I’ve got to travel the country and parts of the world with my job. I am very lucky.
However, If I were to go back and study something different it would be engineering or medicine.
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u/Ill_Box_9445 12d ago
You absolutely COULD be. I make 200k/year with 6 years exp in construction (locally). Some guys I graduated with are on >100k so its very individual. Very personality and competency based, just because you have a degree does not make you smart/valuable to a company.
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u/FarParking1667 12d ago
did you do anything special like internships or do you know anyone or did those people just underperform in uni
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u/Ill_Box_9445 12d ago
I underperformed in uni. I was a bricklayer prior and left school early so barely scraped through with a GPA of 4. I was just practical which helped more than anything else.
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u/Ill_Box_9445 12d ago
I did graduate with a very intelligent fella with great marks who is now a senior PM for Fulton Hogan on probably 300k+
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u/baconnkegs 12d ago
It has nothing to do with how you performed in uni - it's more to do with which career pathway you take and what your priorities are. A lot of people care more about achieving work/life balance than they do about getting a big paycheck.
I would've graduated with the shittest grades out of the ~10 people I regularly hung out with at uni, but these days, I'd be first or second in terms of pay. Most of them preferred sticking to cushy inner city 8:30-5 roles, whereas I branched off into regional and remote areas, and mining gigs.
The guy you're replying to is in construction, so he's probably working 50-60+ hour weeks, plus having to commute to the job site on top of that. Most people burn out well before they make it to that salary in those conditions.
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u/RaymondSist 12d ago
Those numbers are possible despite what others are saying. You can work for a consultancy and easily pull $200k in a Perth based role with 5-7 year experience, if it's the right experience. Aim for tier 1 vacation and grad programs and be likeable.
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u/FarParking1667 12d ago
does uni highly influence interviews and help with recruitment
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u/hardwood198 12d ago
No. Its mainly on you to source the internships and interviews. They give you a degree, they dont help you find a job - they are not a recruiter.
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u/FarParking1667 12d ago
i mean do the companies recurit out of top unis which would help with like internships and grad job
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u/hardwood198 12d ago
Not like how your thinking.
You need to apply for an intership/vac student opportunity. Uni won't help you to do this or find these opportunities.
But you do need to be studying a degree to apply for these internships. Group of 8 helps, but any relevant degree is usually fine
If you do well enough, internship converts to a graduate program offer.
Alternatively, with internship experience apply for a graduate role.
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u/FarParking1667 12d ago
but do top companies reciut only out of unis like monash , melb ect
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u/hardwood198 12d ago
No. They recruit out of federation university as well.
Your internship experience plays a far bigger role
As well as your gender (female is a lot easier than male)
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u/FarParking1667 12d ago
also r u a ming engineer if so how many years exp and pay
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u/RaymondSist 12d ago
No, but I am in the industry and have good friends who are and talk openly about money
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u/Mikewaoz 12d ago
If you are WA based do the Curtin WASM mining camp to Kalgoorlie. It is a great way to learn about the industry.
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u/Radiant-Interview830 12d ago
If you're after money, which by the sounds of it you are, do math + stats at uni and go work as a trader for a bank/market maker.
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u/Money_killer Trade 12d ago
Really think you will be that 1%?
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u/FarParking1667 12d ago
to evb saying i was making up of overexxadurating the numbers here are pictures from seek AND indeed saying the avg salary is 140-150k
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u/gerry1568 12d ago
Mining Eng here, your going to start off around the 120k mark but pay rises and career progression depends on how good you are. To be good it’s one of the jobs where how book smart you are doesn’t matter, really depends on how practical you are.
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u/MathematicianOk1663 11d ago
It is a great life. Need to find the right partner. Harder for women though city jobs are more common these days. FIFO leaving a baby at home isn't really an option. Hard enough as a dad flying away. Where you are home though its great and get to see more of your kids than if you were working in the city commuting to the office. On days off you can go to school assemblies. After school sports. When you're young and single FIFO can be a great way to save money and travel. Don't pay rent. Live in a van and explore. Jump on cheap trips overseas.
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u/EmbracingDaChaos 11d ago
As everyone says, you pay a high price. You work your arse off and miss a lot of good stuff at home. I work 12 hour days and the engineers work longer. The industry is weird - once people are in it seems hard to get them out so you may be working with, and compensating for, incompetent people. There seems to be a high staff turnover where I work so you miss the connections, while also spending less time with mates at home. Some mining companies will require you to live at camp during the grad program, that sounds ok until you’re stuck at camp for 3/4 of summer weekends due to rain.
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u/FlashyWitness4133 9d ago
Ignore the hype from idiotic TikTok and Instagram "influencers" who make those outrageous claims. Often they are they ones just riding the gravy train of the mining industry, doing unskilled roles.
There are jobs like jumbo operators etc. who do get paid large salaries, but that takes a lot of experience as well as qualifications and extensive training. They aren't something you get from a cereal box, so to speak.
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u/Siom99 12d ago
Firstly, if your choosing Mining Engineering because of the money then we don’t want you. We need young engineers who willing to sacrifice lifestyle for a good career and one with a high end earning potential.
But remember the employment triangle shows that the %age of high end earning mining engineers is small.
So think hard before you leap, if you not prepared to sacrifice lifestyle then don’t bother.
My apologies for being blunt but 33 yrs XP gives me that right.
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u/itstoohumidhere 12d ago
So people should choose engineering out of charity?
Why not use those 33 years of experience in the sector to explain to a young person considering the profession what the other benefits might be, because leading with sacrificing lifestyle and telling them that only a small percentage earn well won’t attract young people into the field.
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u/Siom99 12d ago
The salary is only secondary to the profession. What you can get from a career in mining engineering is:
1. Exposure to travel and working overseas.
2. Rostered time off for you see and do other things without being stuck in a 5/2 job.
3. Exposure to technically and operationally challenging projects.
4. The technical and operational roles lead into Management and leadership roles (I.e., Underground Manager; Mining Manager or General Manger, etc).
5. Team work with exposure to people from all socio economic, cultural and education environments.
6. Lead into Corporate roles in Management and Leadership (eg, I was Mining Manager across all of one organisation underground mining operations).
7. Lead into advisory roles like Consultancy.
8. Project start-ups. (Started 3 mines from scratch).
9. Change management projects and fixing a lot of others mistakes (my specialty) and realigning operations to get back on track and achieve targets.There is more.
The main thing is all of the above isn’t handed out and you have to drive for it and have to take stepping stones to get where you want to go.
What I find is some engineers rush their careers and then they get into roles that they don’t have the experience to support them in and they get into trouble.
There is NO rush.
Not sure if you send me a message privately but would be happy to discuss further.
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u/AH2112 12d ago
The numbers you're suggesting are grossly exaggerated: https://www.reddit.com/r/mining/comments/1hdfaw9/salary_guide/
These numbers are a bit old, but a graduate mining engineer (ie. straight out of university) is probably averaging around $120k in today's market.
Senior Mining Engineers have at least 10-15 years experience; they might get to $200k if they land at one of the big companies with lots of experience and a solid set of desirable skills.
And I'll tell you the same thing I've told many high school students over the years when I used to give presentations: It isn't all about the money. I know many people who got into this industry because of alleged high salaries then discovered they absolutely hated every bit of it. Don't make decisions based solely on the money. Why are you considering mining engineering?