QLD

“The Ultimate Dream Job”. That perfect, once in a lifetime opportunity that matches your talents, experience and aspirations. It seems we are always on the lookout for this golden offer, but how do you actually make it happen?

Teagan Criddle, Manager of Integrated Services at Energy Resourcing recently spoke to Oil and Gas Australia about securing your dream role.

Here’s the thing.  Typically, resource sector companies don’t start their recruitment planning until projects are approved.

In a mining industry-first, a number of major projects in Queensland are doing things differently.

Simply, they are asking for your feedback – and they want to hear from those who have experience in the industry and those that haven’t....but would love the chance.

Around 61,500 new operational jobs will be created in the mining sector by 2015, as well as tens of thousands more in the construction stages, according to estimates released in a report last week from the National Resources Sector Employment Taskforce.

The Taskforce, which was established last year, was tasked with consulting with industry to better understand the skills and employment numbers required for more than 75 advanced major resources projects, and some 286 less advanced projects – most slated to commence production in the period 2010 to 2020.

In a resource industry first, a number of mining projects in Queensland are about to launch a major on-line survey to determine the level of interest from trainees, semi-skilled, female and Indigenous participants, together with those already working in the industry for fly in, fly out opportunities from Brisbane.  

The Queensland Government has granted conditional approval to QGC’s $A8 billion Queensland Curtis Liquefied Natural Gas (QCLNG) Project, to be located near Gladstone.

The approval comes with strict conditions, which includes the establishment of an Integrated Project Housing Strategy to provide additional affordable housing in the Gladstone area and measures to ensure as many local and Queensland suppliers are involved in the delivery of the project as possible.

Xstrata Copper has announced it will resume the expansion of the Ernest Henry copper mine in North Queensland, following the Federal Government’s agreement with the mining industry over the Resource Super Profits Tax (RSPT).

In May, the company suspended the development of the $589 million underground mine development and its $30 million North Queensland regional exploration program, following a review into the potential impacts of the RSPT.

The Queensland Government has this week approved the construction of a $2 billion rail corridor to open up mining projects in the Galilee Basin.

With a number of major projects in planning stages, including Hancock Coal’s Alpha Mine (generating 2,500 jobs at peak of construction and 1,500 during operation), Warratah Coal (creating 6,000 construction jobs and 1,500 permanent jobs), Galilee Coal Project (expected to employ 1,500), and BMA Coal’s projects (expected to employ more than 1,000 during operation), the new Hancock Rail Corridor has been approved as infrastructure of significance.

We happen to work in an industry that on the one hand experiences great challenges with the lack of experienced and skilled candidates available, but on the other hand attracts a significant volume of applicants interested in joining the sector and who have no experience. 

The School of Petroleum Engineering at the University of New South Wales has been providing well control training and assessment to oilfield professionals through the National Drilling & Well Control Program (NDWCP) since 1997. The Program is a joint venture between the School and the International Association of Drilling Contractors - Australasian Chapter (IADC-AC) and is managed by School.

With a number of projects moving through the approvals process, you will begin to see increasing calls for ‘Expressions of Interest’.  In the past year alone, INPEX, Gindalbie Metals, Otway Gas Project and Xstrata have all advertised for Expressions of Interest, and currently, on The Resource Channel you will find opportunities to lodge an Expression of Interest for a wide range of professional/technical and blue collar roles for Santos’ Gladstone LNG Project.