Mining jobs have stayed strong during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, with Western Australia and Queensland leading the way, according to an independent study undertaken by technology firm CoverCard for the Minerals Council of Australia (MCA).
In the first detailed study of mining job trends since the pandemic began, the research outlines that Western Australia and Queensland increased their share of trades and skilled mining job advertisements in the March-May 2020 quarter (up 4 per cent and 5 per cent respectively) while other regions experienced relative reductions.
This suggests a consolidation of job opportunities in stronger mining states while other regions may be comparatively less likely to hire in an uncertain time.
CoverCard evaluated trades and skilled mining jobs trends by analysing more than 193,663 job ads in the minerals industry in the last four years in one of the largest studies of its kind in Australia.
The sector is holding its ground relatively well in the face of a global pandemic, said CEO of the MCA, Tania Constable.
“Another 8,785 mining job ads were added to the research study in the last quarter. While that’s lower than the 9,242 job advertisements identified in the previous quarter, it shows that mining jobs have stayed strong even in the face of an unprecedented global pandemic,” said Ms Constable.
“Western Australia and Queensland have gone against the trend and increased their share of job ads in the mining sector. Both states will play a pivotal role in Australia’s economic recovery from COVID-19, and relative to other sectors the minerals industry is holding its ground.”
Other key findings from the study include:
- Most licensed qualifications within the research scope experienced an increase in demand during the recent quarter, suggesting that ads for trades and skilled roles – where these qualifications are most prevalent – has likely increased as a share of total job ads versus professional roles.
- Trades and skilled recruitment has proved more robust than recruitment for professional corporate roles.
- The share of mining job ads referencing fly-in, fly-out (FIFO) increased in the most recent quarter to 22.8 per cent, above the long-run average of 18.2 per cent.
- CoverCard notes that changes to roster and travel arrangements may have necessitated an increased focus on FIFO recruitment. For example, there has been a need to recruit additional FIFO workers where existing workers were based interstate from the mining operation and therefore impacted by border closures.
- It may also be that COVID-19 has meant that a higher share of recruitment activity has been for front line site-based roles, as opposed to head office or corporate roles.
Source: MCA.
