Thread: Mining Traineeship?

Hey, i work for Donaldson Coal(Tasman around the corner from you is a Donaldson mine) they are just ramping up a new mine(Abel) at black hill and they are constantly putting people on, I have worked around alot of mine sites with several different companies and Donaldson have been great although Im working in the office and not on the manual labour side of things(Im in IT) you should keep an eye on there website I know they recently put on a bunch of apprentices as I went through a corporate induction with them. They are also running a cleanskin program training guys with no underground experience but they have received thousands of applications for that apparently.

Donaldson Coal

Well i have pretty much made up my mind after some very serious consideration and time waiting to get all my results from my first semester at uni...

I would like to try get a traineeship in a local mine (somewhere in the Hunter Valley). I am looking for position more then likely as a Operator or a Diesel Mechanic...

I understand it is ridiculously hard to gain one of these traineeships, ... but i think i am best of giving it a go as i deffinetly wont get in if i don't try. So this is where you guys come into play I am trying to get an idea of all the mines within the Hunter region so i know who i am wanting to contact.

Thanks guys!

Just a couple of points to keep you thinking -

Diesel mechanic is a trade - you will need to do an apprenticeship rather than a traineeship, so be prepared for possibly lower wages in at least the first couple of years. The advantage is that you end up with a trade certificate which will pretty much guarantee you work anywhere - good diesel mech's are always in high demand.

An operator is just an operator (not bagging them - I was one once). But you end up with nothing in the way of meaningful qualifications, and it really is a dead-end job that you will soon be looking for a way out of if you have any "get up and go".

If you decide to look for a diesel mechanic apprenticeship, I'd suggest that you look around the mechanical service businesses in your area who service the mining industry, rather than look for an apprenticeship on the mine itself. This way, you get a much more varied experience in your training (because they generally deal with a broader range of gear, whereas on the mine you will only ever see the small number of machines they have on that site). The broader base your training, the better off you will be later on.

My son was offered two separate apprenticeships as diesel mechanic a few years ago - one at an underground mine in Kambalda, the other at a (then) fairly small privately owned workshop in Boulder. He asked me which one I thought would be the best. I told him that, at Kambalda, he would spend all day (or night) underground replacing hoses on boggers, and maybe occasionally doing a bit of proper mechanical work on one of the three different types of machines they had at that mine. The business in Boulder, on the other hand, worked day shift only, and on pretty much everything from ride-on mowers to underground mining machinery to Kenworth trucks to huge surface mining trucks and loaders.

He took the job in Boulder, and is now a qualified diesel fitter, still working for the same company (though they have since been bought out by a larger company). He's in field service now, so spends a lot of time travelling out to remote mine sites and often staying out there for up to a week, but that's what he enjoys. He has been given his own company ute (turbo Landcruiser with toolboxes etc on the back), and at 25 yrs old, is probably making more money than I do - and I've been working in mine management (now a consultant) for years.

It's your choice - however you choose, I hope you find the opening that you are looking for, and that you enjoy it.

Traineeships are actually fairly few and far between in the mining industry and are in fact poor money.
Apprenticeships are the same.
As said it can be hard to get into if you do not know someone or have relevant experience.
A mining company would be more likely to pick you up with a degree. I would seriously finish Uni first even if you need to change subjects.
Not trying to put you off as there are some great jobs in mining.
I was in mining for 18 years and am finding it difficult to find another similar job after being made redundant and I know a lot of people.
Also generally in NSW Hunter Valley you will be on about 1/3 to 1/2 the wages of similar in WA or NT, just the way it is.

Times like this i wish i had the luck of knowing what i wanted from a young age and just got it straight up... but looks like life wants to be well life...

I am thinking i might follow the path of a Diesel Mechanic due to the fact there is a variety of work out there. And i can look into privatly owned places etc as mentioned before.

Originally Posted by Grover-98

I am thinking i might follow the path of a Diesel Mechanic due to the fact there is a variety of work out there. And i can look into privatly owned places etc as mentioned before.

Good choice for mining and heavy industry. Good places to work to get exposure are Cat (Westrac), Komatsu, Liebher etc
Generally Diesel Mechs, Fitters and Sparkies will find work anywhere and are in demand in the mining industry. As said previously driving trucks etc is fun for a while but does become repetative and boring.
I miss my job and hope to get back in soon, but for the time being may have a job with ARG, so get to play with a big train set. At least means we can stay in Esperance.
Seriously look at mining options at Uni, before you throw it in though, it will give you many more options.
Here is a taste anyway.

Originally Posted by CraigE

Seriously look at mining options at Uni, before you throw it in though, it will give you many more options.

Well said.

While it is tempting to chuck in uni and go and earn some money. Mining is very boom, bust, boom, bust.

If you have a degree behind you, you will be more likely to keep your job when things take a turn for the worst, and more likely to be able to find a good job elsewhere.

Degrees like mining/civil/chemical/environmental eng., geology, oh&s