From 2014 to 2023, Mining Engineering completions at the bachelor's level dropped 98% and 76% for postgraduate (Figure 2).⁴ Between 2014 and 2023, the number of male students across all course levels dropped significantly from 466 to 80 (-83%). Female completions also declined, falling from 53 in 2014 to zero in 2023 (Figure 3), suggesting a broad trend that also limits the effectiveness of efforts to increase women's participation.  

In comparison, completions in the broader Engineering and Related Technologies field declined to 21,294 (-15%) from 2018. Female completions dropped to 4,520 (-5%), and male completions dropped to 16,761 (-17%). This shows a falling trend in completions of mining engineering algins, which is similar to the overall pattern observed in the broader engineering field, but at a steeper rate. 

What drives these shortages? 

The lack of awareness surrounding the Mining industry creates persistent perception challenges that limit the industry's ability to attract, retain, and recruit younger workers. Young survey respondents (47%) reported not knowing about the full range of career options available in Mining.⁵ The majority of young respondents (56%) primarily associated the mining industry with climate change and environmental damage.⁶ Awareness of the mining industry’s role in space, advanced manufacturing, renewables, and MedTech could alleviate some of these challenges, particularly in younger and priority cohorts. 

Mental health-related challenges also inhibit the industry's ability to attract, recruit, and retain skilled workers.⁷ The nature of mining, but more particularly, fly-in, fly-out (FIFO) work, can be defined by long working hours, physical strain, isolation, and high-pressure environments.⁸ Employers operating in remote regions, on average, face workforce attraction, retention, and recruitment challenges due to the remote nature of these locations and the limited social amenities available.⁹ Such factors continue to contribute to poor mental health due to extended periods away from loved ones, social disconnection and limited downtime.¹⁰ Over a third of FIFO workers have been found to experience anxiety, depression or stress above the clinical cutoff and exacerbated more so when on compressed rosters.¹¹ Those who work in remote regions also tend to work longer hours.¹²  

Do all roads lead to the Resources and Infrastructure Industry (RII) training package? 

The mining industry is trending toward less reliance on the RII package (Table 2). Mining companies tend to have the financial resources and educational infrastructure to deliver on-the-job training, even to individuals with little or no formal training. For example, various tier one Mining employers offer on-site apprenticeships and traineeships, site-based new entrant role training, and tailored qualifications. They offer paid training from day one, with a permanent position lined up upon qualification and completion, leading potential new entrants away from the national curriculum system. These programs are customised to fit operational requirements, company goals and specific site challenges. As a result, the national curriculum system directly competes with such internal educational programs. 

The national curriculum system also struggles to deliver Mining-relevant RII training due to insufficient equipment and resources. The high cost of equipment, combined with limited practical training facilities at VET, can result in insufficient or delayed training, which may not keep pace with the growing demand for skilled mining workers. Additionally, employers must demonstrate to mine inspectors that all workers are trained for their assigned roles, with records of tickets and procedures kept on site. Even experienced hires require several days of site-specific training, and while prior learning can be recognised, all training must be documented and verified by a qualified trainer.¹³ Employers may prefer to train students and workers on-site, with confidence that their skills align with their site, and with quicker delivery than the national curriculum.  

Mining equipment is expensive. Models like the Belaz 75710 dump truck are priced around $6 million to $7.5 million per unit, and other large haul trucks such as the Caterpillar 797F or Komatsu 980E typically range from $5 million to $8 million each.^14,15 As a result, RTOs and other training providers are forced to either rely on equipment donated by Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) or training in cab-like environments. This also limits the pace at which RTOs are able to train individuals, often slower than the growing industry demand for skills. Mining employers have access to adequate levels of equipment, resulting in faster and more effective delivery and completions as opposed to the slower national curriculum system. This also applies to OEM-specific training, where nuances specific to the relevant OEM might mean that the employer does not want to hire staff not trained on the particular equipment, further reducing the employability of the individual trained under the national curriculum ecosystem. However, recruitment towards work-based training and education is limited, as it is directly subject to the perception, retention, and recruitment challenges discussed above.  

OEM training is often used to upskill technicians in preparation for becoming Master Technicians. While such training is undoubtedly critical, it tends to be manufacturer-specific, leading to technicians being recognised as Master Technicians only for the specific brands for which they have received training.¹⁶ This is not the case in jurisdictions such as the United Kingdom, where to become a Master Technician, accredited training programs must be completed.¹⁷  

The national curriculum is particularly effective at standardising training and delivery, particularly where there are questions of licensing and regulation. In these situations, the standardised content delivered under an RTO or GTO environment will result in smoother processing for the relevant licensing or tickets. However, in the mining industry, occupations related to safety are largely regulated by licences (at least under RII). This takes away the incentive, to an extent, to participate in the national curriculum system for non-licensed or non-regulated roles.