Who works in the mines and what doing

[Motorbreath310]

Another thing some of you guys could look into is working as a kitchen hand at a mine site as some of those places pay upward of 80-90 k for even an inexperienced worker. My missus looked into it at the mac camp at Narrabri. They did a 2 week on/1 week off roster. Some camps in WA and QLD do fifo for their kitchen staff.

For anyone else looking into underground coal mining;

http://www.mastermyne.com.au/myne-start-course-info

Yeah it's expensive but it may be an option for some. Mining companies get so many applications from cleanskins it's not funny. Some site coordinators won't even answer phone calls from unknown phone numbers. Just be persistent and keep an eye or ear out for when they're hiring cleanskins. For anyone around the south coast or Sydney areas, BHP/Illawara coal are gonna be doing big things in the next few years with their Appin/West Cliff expansion.

Some companies to watch are BHP, Xstrata, Mastermyne, DeltaSBD, RUS mining, and UGM.

[Addz08]

Well, after trying for soooo long, I finally got a interview on tuesday with a mob called Minova, I,ve gotta info and assessment session in the morning and the interview in the arvo, Fingers Crossed!!

[XR8T3D]

Originally Posted by El Caco

There is another (very boring) position that is an unskilled position that is not usually found on surface mine sites but in similar high paying industries and I'm guessing underground mines that requires little else than a confined spaces ticket. A hole watcher is a person who monitors entry to a confined space, often it requires little else than standing at an entry point and making sure every person who is going in has authority to enter, signs on to the register and signs off when they come out. I have never worked on a site that has a hole watcher but I have been told by other Tradesmen about the job when discussing positions for spouses. Perhaps someone else who knows more about the position can comment.

Sentry?

Just requires confined space like you said. Very low demand for physical work. Just requires you to know certain aspects of the job like for emergencies; who is your supervisor, the number to call, radio channel etc. you may have to call in to ERT to advise them of who you are, how many people are going into the confined space, the amount of time, emergency procedure in place. Just need communication skills and to stay alert. Depending on the area, continuous gas monitoring may be required. Anyone with confined space could do this I think.

[Motorbreath310]

Originally Posted by Addz08

Well, after trying for soooo long, I finally got a interview on tuesday with a mob called Minova, I,ve gotta info and assessment session in the morning and the interview in the arvo, Fingers Crossed!!

Minova make resin capsules (roof and rib chemies) for bolting. Did they say what job you'd be doing?

[Franco Cozzo]

Are there many jobs which let you live on site? That'd be preferable for me rather than FIFO or renting a house in the area.

Also when you live on site, can you stay there on your days off or do you have to move your stuff out, another person stays in there, then when they are gone you can come back?

[nstg8a]

how hard is it to get your confined space ticket?

[XR8T3D]

Originally Posted by nstg8a

how hard is it to get your confined space ticket?

Not hard at all. Maybe 6-8 hours of class work then a practical.

[XR8T3D]

Originally Posted by Motorbreath310

Another thing some of you guys could look into is working as a kitchen hand at a mine site as some of those places pay upward of 80-90 k for even an inexperienced worker. My missus looked into it at the mac camp at Narrabri. They did a 2 week on/1 week off roster. Some camps in WA and QLD do fifo for their kitchen staff.

For anyone else looking into underground coal mining;

http://www.mastermyne.com.au/myne-start-course-info

Yeah it's expensive but it may be an option for some. Mining companies get so many applications from cleanskins it's not funny. Some site coordinators won't even answer phone calls from unknown phone numbers. Just be persistent and keep an eye or ear out for when they're hiring cleanskins. For anyone around the south coast or Sydney areas, BHP/Illawara coal are gonna be doing big things in the next few years with their Appin/West Cliff expansion.

Some companies to watch are BHP, Xstrata, Mastermyne, DeltaSBD, RUS mining, and UGM.

Good post on the mastermyne but my understanding is that you're paying 14k regardless of landing a job after the course?

[Motorbreath310]

Originally Posted by XR8T3D

Good post on the mastermyne but my understanding is that you're paying 14k regardless of landing a job after the course?

Yeah you pay them back via salary sacrifice after you get the job. You also have to be accepted for the course before hand. Mastermyne's paying 130k/yr for the 7 on 7 off guys. You still get holidays with that and the camp facilities are Pretty good. Not bad for working half the year. Also, when you're on a 7/7 roster, you take one week of annual leave and you get 3 because of your 'off' weeks on either side of the week you took off and you still get paid every week because your pay is split from the week you work. You end up wih about $1750 after tax from what I'm told.

I'm starting a 7/7 fifo job on Monday morning at Narrabri. I'll let ya's know how 7 12's on site feels after my induction.

[XR8T3D]

Originally Posted by Motorbreath310

Yeah you pay them back via salary sacrifice after you get the job. You also have to be accepted for the course before hand. Mastermyne's paying 130k/yr for the 7 on 7 off guys. You still get holidays with that and the camp facilities are Pretty good. Not bad for working half the year. Also, when you're on a 7/7 roster, you take one week of annual leave and you get 3 because of your 'off' weeks on either side of the week you took off and you still get paid every week because your pay is split from the week you work. You end up wih about $1750 after tax from what I'm told.

I'm starting a 7/7 fifo job on Monday morning at Narrabri. I'll let ya's know how 7 12's on site feels after my induction.

Is it a guaranteed job when you finish the course?

Awesome pay for 7/7 especially if you're getting in as a cleanskin and being certified as experienced through their training. Great news on landing a new job. I'm still determining my course of action since getting in to pretty much an entry level position. Currently doing shutdowns FIFO from Perth and starting my second job up in the Pilbara next week after I get back from my 4 day stint.

[Motorbreath310]

Originally Posted by XR8T3D

Is it a guaranteed job when you finish the course?

Awesome pay for 7/7 especially if you're getting in as a cleanskin and being certified as experienced through their training. Great news on landing a new job. I'm still determining my course of action since getting in to pretty much an entry level position. Currently doing shutdowns FIFO from Perth and starting my second job up in the Pilbara next week after I get back from my 4 day stint.

From what I understand, you complete the 4 week course then start working for them. What's the pay like in WA (broad question, I know)

[XR8T3D]

Originally Posted by Motorbreath310

From what I understand, you complete the 4 week course then start working for them. What's the pay like in WA (broad question, I know)

Working casual. I do 3-5 day shutdown work every other week. If it's a 3 day shut I aim for night shift. I get 8 hours stand down pay, so 4 days pay for 3 nights work, I get 4 hours travel allowance.
$40/hr days and $48 nights is starting pay

Second job is $35 weekdays and $45 weekends. I work this in between the week off I have from the other job.

Keep in mind. I am unskilled and casual.

Rostered guys I work with get 2/1 and 3/1 and are on 35-55 an hour depending on their trade. Apprentice boilermaker/welder is on 36 an hour second year. Advanced scaffolder I work with made 180k last year. Worked 1 week shutdowns, 3 weeks offshore and rotated this for 6 months then back to 1 week shutdowns every second week.

[Stazza_Brendan]

The Mastermyne course doesnt guarantee you a job. Your not offered a job until completing the course, and then its at their discretion. In saying that youd have to be pretty bad not to get an offer.
You salary sacrifice the payment over 12months. Good luck getting in, they get a tonne of applicants.

My brother went through the course and has worked for them for 14 months and his GF does admin work for them.

[69baldy]

When applying for a job on the BHP Billiton website, they ask for your salary expectations before super, and also entirely. Should one aim for reasonable wages or aim low? I don't want to be underpaid like I am currently....but don't want to sound greedy either. What do you suggest? Any chance someone knows a lab tech over there that can give me an idea of the average salary??

[gtfpv]

Originally Posted by 69baldy

When applying for a job on the BHP Billiton website, they ask for your salary expectations before super, and also entirely. Should one aim for reasonable wages or aim low? I don't want to be underpaid like I am currently....but don't want to sound greedy either. What do you suggest? Any chance someone knows a lab tech over there that can give me an idea of the average salary??

look i hate that question . it feels like someone is after the lowest bidder when that question is asked . some answers i would consider would be . industry standard earnings for the position , or whatever it pays i'm there . because at the end of the day they will pay what they are required to pay .
and if i didnt want the job i would say , as much as i can get .

[nstg8a]

Originally Posted by gtfpv

look i hate that question . it feels like someone is after the lowest bidder when that question is asked . some answers i would consider would be . industry standard earnings for the position , or whatever it pays i'm there . because at the end of the day they will pay what they are required to pay .
and if i didnt want the job i would say , as much as i can get .

every job ive applied for when theyve asked that, its a multiple choice type answer, doesnt give you the option of saying the right thing, just ticking what you hope is the right box.

[XR8T3D]

I typically ask for the industry average. They've typically already determined what you're going to get paid before you've got the job, unless you want to negotiate further once you've got a contract in your hands ready to be signed.

Regardless I'd be happy to have the job, more than, equal to or less than the industry average, I wouldn't be complaining, just thankful I got where I wanted to be.

[El Caco]

Ask what you think you are worth, the question is the best question an employer can ask to work out just how good the applicant is. Lets face it when you are asked what you can do you ********, when you fill out your resume you ********, when you are asked about your work ethic or how good you are you ********, because you want the job. But when they ask you how much you want all of a sudden you go for the lowest figure because you know everything you said to this point is BS. Sure if the employer is cheap he will employ you, but if he is looking for the best candidate? Ask what you are worth, at every point in the employment process be honest, that way you not only give yourself the best chance at getting the job but the employer will also respect your integrity.

[gtfpv]

Originally Posted by El Caco

Ask what you think you are worth, the question is the best question an employer can ask to work out just how good the applicant is. Lets face it when you are asked what you can do you ********, when you fill out your resume you ********, when you are asked about your work ethic or how good you are you ********, because you want the job. But when they ask you how much you want all of a sudden you go for the lowest figure because you know everything you said to this point is BS. Sure if the employer is cheap he will employ you, but if he is looking for the best candidate? Ask what you are worth, at every point in the employment process be honest, that way you not only give yourself the best chance at getting the job but the employer will also respect your integrity.

hahahaha . i once applied for a job , the company sent me out an application booklet /questionaire to send back to them , there were many questions in the booklet , qualifications expe , tickets etc , rate yourself blah blah blah , the last questions was , what is your favourite shift and how much do you want to be paid . i replied dayshift , and 70k . that was 20 years ago , why couldnt they have just asked that question , and forget the rest . what if someone said night shift and 30k , would every other question be relevent ??? i never heard back from them , if i ever get asked such a question again , i will say 20hours per week and $1 mill .

[XR8T3D]

Are there any of the heavy machinery operators in here? Excavator, front end loader, dump truck drivers, etc.

[XR8T3D]

Originally Posted by gtfpv

hahahaha . i once applied for a job , the company sent me out an application booklet /questionaire to send back to them , there were many questions in the booklet , qualifications expe , tickets etc , rate yourself blah blah blah , the last questions was , what is your favourite shift and how much do you want to be paid . i replied dayshift , and 70k . that was 20 years ago , why couldnt they have just asked that question , and forget the rest . what if someone said night shift and 30k , would every other question be relevent ??? i never heard back from them , if i ever get asked such a question again , i will say 20hours per week and $1 mill .

Night shift and 100k!

[69baldy]

I do tick all the boxes. There is no multiple choice with this question and I can't write down any explanation, so I've gone for what I think a fair wage would be. Being a cleanskin from Victoria, they might think it is a low wage request which implies I aren't good at my job. All I can do is let my work ethic speak for itself. They will be one happy employer if they give me the opportunity due to a possible low salary request. Thanks for the feedback everyone, My application is submitted. Wish me luck

[gtfpv]

Originally Posted by 69baldy

I do tick all the boxes. There is no multiple choice with this question and I can't write down any explanation, so I've gone for what I think a fair wage would be. Being a cleanskin from Victoria, they might think it is a low wage request which implies I aren't good at my job. All I can do is let my work ethic speak for itself. They will be one happy employer if they give me the opportunity due to a possible low salary request. Thanks for the feedback everyone, My application is submitted. Wish me luck

GOOD LUCK MATE .

[XDV800]

Originally Posted by XR8T3D

Are there any of the heavy machinery operators in here? Excavator, front end loader, dump truck drivers, etc.

Right here. Topsy turvy civil side of things.

3 months in new mine infrastructure construction, then some drama with BMA/politics/accomodation/who knows saw the company i was employed by lay off approx 100 of us. Been redundant since march 10 waiting for them to jag new job and i was one of the few they asked to be available to go back to work with them when they got new contract on a new site. Really taking a leap of faith with this company, but it is such a good gig.
Not monotonous production work, but digging or shifting this that and the other. Having an HC licence meant i was relied upon to operate service truck and semi trailer with crane crew as well. $100k +++unreal penalties.
Couldn't think of anything worse than shifting the same black stuff in the same fashion day in day out...but i do have a view to more stable employment with a big miner in the future in some capacity.

[Addz08]

Originally Posted by Motorbreath310

Minova make resin capsules (roof and rib chemies) for bolting. Did they say what job you'd be doing?

Its for Ventilation,but they also do cavity filling, rock bolting an stuff, had the interview, and find out next week..

[[THOMMO]]

Currently working for BHP Billiton Iron Ore at Yandi in the Pilbarra 2/1 FIFO
Been there about a year doing sample process tech
Pretty awesome facilities

Anyone else up here ?

[Addz08]

Well I didnt get the job, after trying for sooo long, and spending alot of cash, i,m not bothering anymore, skills shortage??? Yeah right!!

[B&D Racing]

Originally Posted by yzfr101

Right here. Topsy turvy civil side of things.

PM sent..

Come to Goldings Jason, $180000 and 10/1 10/7 roster mate.

Same as 3/1 at Yorks only working all sundays mate!

[I reckon]

Originally Posted by Addz08

Well I didnt get the job, after trying for sooo long, and spending alot of cash, i,m not bothering anymore, skills shortage??? Yeah right!!

what happened....what was there excuse for not giving you the job?

love the companies that say you need experience................how the **** do you get experience if they dont give you a start .

[B&D Racing]

Originally Posted by Addz08

Well I didnt get the job, after trying for sooo long, and spending alot of cash, i,m not bothering anymore, skills shortage??? Yeah right!!

Do you mind if i come visit you in a couple of weeks?

I may be able to point you in the direction you require??