Mining skills and workforce snapshot
Workforce overview
Victoria’s smallest employing industry:
- 12,000 people employed
- 0.3% of the Victorian workforce.
Top employing jobs in the industry:
- Drillers, miners and shot firers
- Metal fitters and machinists.
Workforce profile
- Predominantly male and VET qualified workforce
- Around one-third of the people employed in the industry work in the exploration and other mining services industry sub-sector
- Higher proportion of the workforce is aged 50+ (35% compared with 29% statewide)
- More First Nations workers employed (1.3% compared with 0.7% statewide).
Projections
Future workforce projections:
- 750 new workers expected by 2028
- By 2028, the non-metallic mineral mining and quarrying sub-sector is projected to add 1,200 new workers to its workforce.
Top growing jobs in the industry are:
- Truck drivers, +330 new workers by 2028
- Earthmoving plant operators, +220 new workers by 2028.
Regional outlook
Regions expecting the highest share of new workers:
- Melbourne: Western metropolitan Melbourne and Southern metropolitan Melbourne
- Regional: Gippsland and Barwon.
Skills demand
The top growing jobs in the industry range in skill level requirements:
- Whilst salaries across occupations do vary, the industry has high overall retention rates.
Most in-demand industry specific skills:
- Risk management
- Occupational health and safety.
Skills supply
Popular vocational education and training courses:
- Certificate III in Surface Extraction Operations
- Certificate IV in Surface Extraction Operations.
Popular university study areas:
- Business management
- Chemical engineering.
Updated