Who works in the mines and what doing

[buggerlugs]

Originally Posted by KR1STO

I was calling around a few Geotechnical places in Melbourne yesterday as I handed in my resignation after 7 years at a company.
While talking to a guy over the phone about jobs in Melbourne, I was offered a fly in fly out job as a Geo in WA (unsure of where as yet). The money is huuuge, but, it's 28 days on (2x13days & 2xdays off), the home for 7 days. The roster rotates as 1 month day shift and 1 month night shift.

I spoke to the missus about it and she agrees that the money is way too good to pass up, but, the toll on our relationship would be hard.

How are you guys finding it with FIFO jobs over there?
Many marriage/relationship breakdowns..?

I mean, it all sounds great in dollars and cents, but 2-3 years is a long time to do FIFO and that is what they are offering me..

Advice..?

Cheers

They have had a couple of TV shows on the ABC about FIFO and relationships. I have had 3 mates lose their marriages over FIFO and chasing the almighty dollar, but on the other hand the good money has set families up for life. Have you got kids and how old are they ?

[KR1STO]

No kids mate.
Both the missus and I agree that the money would set us up well and if we only did it for the 2-3 year contract, we 'should' be fine.
My partner is at uni. She finishes in 2 years, so if I did do it, I'd probably only do it until she finishes. Then as a reward for the sacrifice, buy a house together, get married, big honeymoon the come back and start on our family.
I mean, we're both in the same mindset in respect to it only being short term, but, the whole month away is a bit daunting for her.
It should be daunting for me..!! haha

How long were your mates doing FIFO for..? Did they have kids..?

Thanks for the input..!

[buggerlugs]

Yeah, all 3 had kids. Biggest problem was the wives had all this money but were bored/lonely and thats when the trouble started.........

[Polyal]

Id be all over it.

We have 3 kids, wife grew up in oil & gas and I will FIFO or more preferably relocate yesterday.

There are HEAPS of Geo and Mining Engineer jobs. My uni doesnt even offer mining (not that I would have done it)..it seems to be a QLD and WA thing.

[KR1STO]

Originally Posted by buggerlugs

Yeah, all 3 had kids. Biggest problem was the wives had all this money but were bored/lonely and thats when the trouble started.........

Yeah the bored/lonely thing worries us a little..

Originally Posted by Polyal

Id be all over it.

We have 3 kids, wife grew up in oil & gas and I will FIFO or more preferably relocate yesterday.

There are HEAPS of Geo and Mining Engineer jobs. My uni doesnt even offer mining (not that I would have done it)..it seems to be a QLD and WA thing.

We're slightly leaning towards it as the missus is at uni, so it will give her time to 'fully' concentrate on that and finish with great marks.
I'd say we're 60% for and 40% against doing it at the moment.
I will need to let the guy know by the 1st of this month so he can get the ball rolling, so I guess we've got a little time to think.

Cheers

[mickbundy]

Look people just go to the interview and be yourself. They can tell if you are bullshittin them. And they will allow for inexperience as they see it all the time JUST BE YOURSELF.
Honestly if you cant get there on your own merits you don't belong there.
Because you may hurt yourself or even worse someone else.
Please don't think I am being negative to applicants I am not.

[BENT_8]

Originally Posted by KR1STO

I was calling around a few Geotechnical places in Melbourne yesterday as I handed in my resignation after 7 years at a company.
While talking to a guy over the phone about jobs in Melbourne, I was offered a fly in fly out job as a Geo in WA (unsure of where as yet). The money is huuuge, but, it's 28 days on (2x13days & 2xdays off), the home for 7 days. The roster rotates as 1 month day shift and 1 month night shift.

I spoke to the missus about it and she agrees that the money is way too good to pass up, but, the toll on our relationship would be hard.

How are you guys finding it with FIFO jobs over there?
Many marriage/relationship breakdowns..?

I mean, it all sounds great in dollars and cents, but 2-3 years is a long time to do FIFO and that is what they are offering me..

Advice..?

Cheers

I dont work in the mining industry, but i have seen the effects on family and friends many times.
I know a bloke who had been with his wife for 20yrs, 2 kids, is a real estate agent and had recently bought a nice semi rural property here in Adelaide.
When the housing slump started he applied to go to Roxby FIFO.
he got knocked back, so his missus applied and she got accepted as a cook.

It lasted 6 months, the house is on the market, both have gone their seperate ways and the worst thing is the poor kids are continuously going from dads while mums away for 2 weeks then off to mums for the week she's home.

Then theres my wifes cousin, her husband was working at Roxby 20 years ago and had the big idea of making a killing and moving back to the city.
They left Roxby 10 yers ago, cashed up and bought into a small business.
problem was the new venture couldnt sustain the lifestyle they had before and so they hit rock bottom, closed the business and guess where they are now...yep back in Roxby.
I also know of someone who committed suicide as a result of losing his job and unable to deal with reality outside the industry, but i will refrain from going into that one.

Im sure there are many success stories too, it is what you make of it.

[B&D Racing]

Here is a good video to put family life in perspective

http://youtu.be/1e_olNJRxuc

[PlukaDuck]

Originally Posted by pottery beige

some clown was caught out in newman.. rocks up as a sparky.. was recognised by blokes.. 'hey he was just a T/A at our last job..'

turns out he used bs license number.. company got a big rocket for not doing proper checks...

ive seen a few bs fitters over time.. classic was a pedders suspension fitter..

he use to fit shocks and springs so he was a fitter...

So true so true, You see these clowns all the time. Plumbers who think there pipe fitters.
Riggers who cant even do a lift plan.( what is a lift plan they say)
Fitters as described above.
And HR girls who wouldnt no if it is night or day.
And how about the peggies now who dont want to wash up coffee mugs
on $ 3000 a week.

Construction of old was very differant. Peggies jobs where for old guys who are burnt out from hard manual labour for 40 years and who wanted to stay in the industry.
It was the industries thank you for your hard work.
Now peggies are the girlfriends or wifes . And if you check there butt out they want to sue you for sexual discrimination.

[Franco Cozzo]

Originally Posted by PlukaDuck

So true so true, You see these clowns all the time. Plumbers who think there pipe fitters.
Riggers who cant even do a lift plan.( what is a lift plan they say)
Fitters as described above.
And HR girls who wouldnt no if it is night or day.
And how about the peggies now who dont want to wash up coffee mugs
on $ 3000 a week.

Construction of old was very differant. Peggies jobs where for old guys who are burnt out from hard manual labour for 40 years and who wanted to stay in the industry.
It was the industries thank you for your hard work.
Now peggies are the girlfriends or wifes . And if you check there butt out they want to sue you for sexual discrimination.

What are peggies? Like a trade assistant or something?

[Motorbreath310]

Any of you guys tried getting into underground coal? Money and lifestyle is probably better and you don't work one month on, one week off like most WA places seem to do.

I do 7 on 7 off. Travel within company time, meals, accomodation and flights paid for, still get holidays and super etc. It is hard to get into but we all started somewhere.

Google Whitehaven coal I think they're hiring at the moment.

[05_ENFORCER]

Originally Posted by Big Damo

What are peggies? Like a trade assistant or something?

Surveyor assistants


.

[Franco Cozzo]

Would you rather work in open cut or underground mine?

What is it like being underground?

[05_ENFORCER]

Originally Posted by Motorbreath310

Any of you guys tried getting into underground coal? Money and lifestyle is probably better and you don't work one month on, one week off like most WA places seem to do.

I do 7 on 7 off. Travel within company time, meals, accomodation and flights paid for, still get holidays and super etc. It is hard to get into but we all started somewhere.

Google Whitehaven coal I think they're hiring at the moment.

A lot of W.A processing plants are now 9/5 or 8/6, unless your talking construction work where it's mostly 3/1, 4/1 or sometimes 28/5 or 12/9 if your with the bigger mobs


.

[05_ENFORCER]

Originally Posted by Big Damo

Would you rather work in open cut or underground mine?

What is it like being underground?

Dark
Dingy
Diesel
Damp
Noisy


.

[PlukaDuck]

Originally Posted by 05_ENFORCER

Surveyor assistants


.

Yes that was the terminology for survey assistant which has spread to the cleaners in the crib huts.

[05_ENFORCER]

Originally Posted by PlukaDuck

Yes that was the terminology for survey assistant which has spread to the cleaners in the crib huts.

We call them something else nowadays


.

[Motorbreath310]

Originally Posted by 05_ENFORCER

Dark
Dingy
Diesel
Damp
Noisy


.

^^ Yeah pretty much. You forgot dusty.

I do 12 hour shifts which suck. Most places near the coast do 8,9 or 10 hour shifts with 12 hr weekend shifts (fri-sun work, mon-thu off)

You do spend alot of time doing sweet FA due to breakdowns, power outages etc. i'm just an operator at the moment. Want to start my deputies ticket next year. There are MANY opportunities there for the people who want them while others are happy to just carry on as a fed (operator) for 30-40 years.

What sorta money would a roustabout or TA make in WA? Oil rig workers get paid very well too if anyone wants to look at that?

[v gate]

lang o,rourke are chasing riggers and crane ops pretty hard if anyones lookin

[Green X]

Some People think you just fall into a job in mining with BHP/RIO on the dream roster ect ya dreaming and part of that perception is the media and politicians who have no idea what they are talking about shooting there mouths off (well some might but they are lucky but mostly you start low and work up), That means **** rosters, working for contractors or labour hire company’s or working expansion projects with the likes of Monadelphous, AGC, CB&I, CIVMECH ect and then that’s only if you have the skills they are looking for. Mechanical Fitters, Diesel fitters, boilermakers electricians, auto sparkys and to a point carpenters, concreters ect, Advanced riggers people who have experience in Industrial type work places.

Allot of the big $$ 160,000+ you see reported in the media are all 4-1 rosters on expansion projects.

Mining is more than truck driving in fact as far as operator jobs go it’s ground level and even then you don’t just do a course and get put in a 830E or something, you have to start outside the industry get some experience then maybe get a job driving ADT’s like 740B’s doing pre pit earthworks on a mine site with someone like Leighton’s and go on from there. Keep in mind allot of the big miners are all heading to autonomous trucks as well.

Let’s not forget underground mining. That’s real you haven’t worked in mining till you’ve done underground and if you want to get into the mines that now can be a easier option than breaking into surface mining but you’ve got to want to do it. BARMINCO, BURNCUT are 2 big contractors.

Thinking of starting as a TA forget it every bloke in the workshop has 2 mates who wants a job as a TA so unless you are one of them your name won’t even make it to the chick in HR.

[Green X]

Originally Posted by Big Damo

Would you rather work in open cut or underground mine?

What is it like being underground?

It's a ummmmm Experience, like another world.

[05_ENFORCER]

Everyone has to start somewhere, myself included.

I started as a labour hire contractor to a bustard **** little two pot new gold mine in the Pilbara on a 16/1 roster at around $65K/yr. (thats weeks btw) on construction straight out of an industrial/commercial apprenticeship.


Don't think this game comes to you wrapped up in a glossy magazine or in a text message.

It's not a given, you need to work at it, old school still applies.

If you have the "fit/attitude" and the "drive" you will be employed regardless of your educational qualities (to a point).

This is not a game, it is reality, and it is very hard for new relationships to prosper and extremely hard for solid relationships to continue unless you have a VERY understanding partner.

If this sits hard with a few, suck it up princess and stay where you are, the grass is not always greener.
,


.

[MITCHAY]

I think the mines want to attract the experienced people looking for a switch at the same time you have those who don't have any experience who want to give it a go.

If you have no experience you have to expect a **** deal while those who do will have to accept a lifestyle change that could stress relationships.

[IDT]

To all of those who are looking for FIFO and never done it before
Everyone and thier dog is looking for people at the moment. if you come from a trade or any job on the tools you can pretty much get a start. That is if you can show your not a ship jumper who swaps jobs every 5 minutes, I have been hearing a lot of angst lately from employers. Obviously they want people who live closer to the sites or the main feeding cities (Brisbane and Perth). The 4 weeks on 7 days off is one of the longer stints. Most sites are less than that. Have a look at the agreement that applies to the site before you sign there are often options with differing allowances, dont get hung up on doing the longer stints if its your first time doing FIFO. Get your white card if you havent already. There are quite a few apprenticeships coming up for grabs in the Oil and Gas construction in WA if your interested in going that way, but I am told its pretty competitive. My recommendation is if you want to get into the resource sector, focus your efforts on the major Contractor companies, Thiess, Leightons and Monadelphous or even companies like Decmil. They are all chasing new blood. Be careful who you listen to regarding horror stories, most of it is BullS*%t with people trying to out do each other about how hard they have had it. 99% of the guys I worked with up on site were great blokes and always ready to help a young bloke who is prepared to give it a proper go. If you do get a spot, be prepared for more induction and premobilisation training than you though possible. Remember the Drug & Alcohol testing is stringent, if you cant stay away from the stuff, do yourself and everyone else a favour an stay away from the industry. Nothing wrong with a drink but do yourself a favour and leave the partying away from work. BIg thing to remember, your there for the money, don't **** it away on leave.

[Polyal]

GreenX would you not have your backside handed to you if caught taking pics?

Does anyone think its worth me calling hiring agency's that advertise Mech Eng jobs that want experience..I only have 2 months with a good company but Im willing to take a hit on the $$ at the start to get a position and show I can hack it.

Its very frustrating...Im waiting on 3 companies to do their grad process..by the time they are ready it will be Christmas!

[05_ENFORCER]

Don't wait for them mate, keep bugging them and get your resume out to as many mobs as you can.

The below are mostly W.A recruiters for Mech Eng positions

Michael Page and Associates, Lycopodium Minerals Pty Ltd, EMS PTY Ltd, SSA Pty Limited, Skye Recruitment, or this one: Gavin@MechanicalJobs.com.au



.

[Motorbreath310]

Getting into underground sounds easier? You get babied when you're a cleanskin pretty much.

[fggt370]

hi there guys ive worked in mining for the last 10 yrs as a heavy diesel fitter. i currently work for newmont out in the tanimi gold and it was not as easy as people think to get into underground mining. i can also assure you that as a "cleanskin" you dont get babied, you do get shown the ropes but are expected to be as good as you have said you are or the shift bosses with send you packing. most of my experience is open cut mining and most rosters in the west and across the nt are 2/1. companies like rio tinto and bhp billiton all run usually 2/1 for their fifo crews. if your keen get onto their respective web sites and go through their careers link but be prepared to wait for hr to get into gear and also be prepared to take a knock or too

[v gate]

dont do night shift under ground
it gets to dark and you cant see a thing

[Green X]

Originally Posted by Polyal

GreenX would you not have your backside handed to you if caught taking pics?

Does anyone think its worth me calling hiring agency's that advertise Mech Eng jobs that want experience..I only have 2 months with a good company but Im willing to take a hit on the $$ at the start to get a position and show I can hack it.

Its very frustrating...Im waiting on 3 companies to do their grad process..by the time they are ready it will be Christmas!

Bit of Grey area mate, I have got heaps of photos from work, some of them I would not post online, Youtube is full of vids and stuff just got to be mindful of what you put up.

Yes it is worth calling mate, that 2 or 5 year experience thing is just something they put in there, if you can show you are not half a stupid C*&T you will get a go. But you have to keep on em. HR in the mining sector is Pathetic!!

So is the Job listings, I’m currently a contractor working on a rio tinto Iron ore site and know they are after diesel fitters, Knowing the industry me and another bloke today jumped on the rio website and did a Job search for this site ( Not that we were looking to jump ship), No Vacancies listed, honestly Often I wonder how much of this “Skills Shortage” is smoke a BS, no doubt there is a gap but is it as big as it’s made out to be...........