Thousands of jobs ....but still can’t get a foot in the door?

Since the 60 Minutes report aired Sunday before last claiming the next “resource boom” was here, we’ve been inundated with individual requests for advice. You may have noticed that we’ve actually had to (reluctantly) remove our ‘Ask Industry a Question’ for the time being to stem the flow!

We weren’t surprised by the flood of requests however – these types of stories typically talk about the thousands of opportunities on offer and how the industry is “screaming” for people, and then feature one or two employees who walked out of one industry and into ours overnight. Simple right? Wrong.

We’d be extremely confident in guessing the two employees featured on 60 Minutes (one from a health care background now driving trucks and the other from a teaching background, now a process operator) obtained their roles through referrals. This is one of the most common ways organisations recruit their staff, and particularly, trainees.

Companies often seek referrals for entry level roles from existing employees. Afterall, they know the job, what’s required on the job, the culture and who would work best with the team – and they’re not going to recommend someone who doesn’t fit the bill. So, whilst the industry does talk a great deal about the need for trainees, many trainees are being recruited regularly but not necessarily through open advertising.

Here’s a snapshot of what happens more generally across the industry.....

APPRENTICES
Companies either directly hire their Apprentices or engage them through Apprenticeships Australia. Typically, the target locations are in remote or regional locations like Roxby Downs, Mt Isa, Port Hedland and Kalgoorlie.

If engaged through Apprenticeships Australia, they are your direct employer, however your host company will ensure you receive the on-the-job training and experience to supplement your study modules. A permanent role may or may not be offered at the end of your apprenticeship with the organisation.

The bulk of Apprenticeships are typically advertised between August and October, to enable a new year start on the job. Register to receive an alert from the Apprenticeships Australia site. The industry recruits both under 21 years and mature-aged apprentices.

ENTRY LEVEL OPPORTUNITIES
Starting as a Trade Assistant is the most common entry point on mining or construction sites. Generally, if you have Working at Heights, Working in Confined Spaces, current drivers licence and other similar tickets, this helps. Experience in manual labour (farming, building, removalist etc), or heavy industrial type environments, like manufacturing, commercial/residential construction, concreting, cranes/ rigging/scaffolding is regarded highly.

Some driver training organisations offer work placement opportunities post training. Be aware however, that no training organisation can promise you a job once you have completed the training. Even with on-the-job experience provided, an employer will be observing your performance and typically, require you to complete other selection and assessment steps to ensure you fit their culture. You need to weigh up the cost of undertaking the training and what opportunities it may afford you with a work placement to gain short-term on-the-job experience and to impress.

If completing driver training with the intent to pursue a career driving on a mine site, you need to focus on gaining experience in other industries. Examples include courier driving, government or civil (road works, civil construction, even garden maintenance).

For blue collar, trade skills are drawn from all areas. That said, you need to consider the type of equipment on a mine site or offshore vessel and how you can obtain experience on similar equipment.

Offshore construction works a great deal on referrals.

GRADUATES
Most, if not all, major industry employers offer Graduate and Vacation Programs. Annual intakes differ each year depending on the organisation’s needs. If you want to significantly increase your chances of employment post-study, I cannot stress enough the need for you to commence Vacation Work as early as possible into your studies within the industry.

Most organisations target those about to graduate, or one year finished.

Organisations like BMA Coal and Bluescope Steel offer scholarships.

MORE INFORMATION?
The Getting Started chapter in our Inside Guide offers a wealth of information and advice on how to give yourself the best possible opportunity for a start in the industry, and much more than we can cover in a blog.

We also recommend the chapter on ‘Marketing Yourself’. You can do all the hard yards in terms of obtaining tickets and relevant experience to get you a start, but blow it at the time of application, phone or face interview. You need to focus just as much on this area as on the technical skills and experience.

The website has a SEARCH feature in the top right hand corner. Type in keywords to find all blogs that reference your topic of interest. For example, last week we received a call from a subscriber wanting to know all those who have been awarded work contracts on Woodside's Pluto project. If you type 'Woodside' or 'Pluto' in the search bar, all related blogs will appear, providing this information and more.

In coming months, we will feature blogs on people who have made the transition from one industry to another – detailing what they did and how, what was successful, the traps to avoid. In addition, we are currently working with industry and industry associations to develop more detailed information on the types of jobs in oil and gas, and mining, what's required, and how you can obtain the skills and experience.