Mining jobs Qld: 1600 roles still vacant as number of available roles soars

High-paying mining jobs are going begging despite a recent surge in the number of women working in the past year, exclusive data has revealed, with the number of vacancies growing by 48 per cent up to November 2021.

The number of women working in Queensland’s mining sector has surged in the last year exclusive data has revealed.

But the sector is still facing a wider critical worker crunch, with high-paying jobs going begging as the industry grapples with Covid-19 border closures and an ageing workforce.

The Queensland Resources Council, in a soon-to-be published diversity report, will reveal the number of women in the industry had surged 20 per cent in just one financial year.

There are now nearly 7000 women working across Queensland’s resources sector — on and off site — representing 20 per cent of all staff in the industry.

In 2007, women made up just seven per cent of Queensland’s mining workforce.

But in the immediate term the labour squeeze in the industry has already impacted productivity.

In mid-January Australia’s largest miner BHP reported a decrease in Queensland metallurgical coal production due to wet weather and “Covid-19 related labour constraints”.

Miner Rebecca Scott, who now operates an 800-tonne excavator, got her start in the industry 17 years ago — making her one in a “handful” of women at the time.

Nationally, the number of mining job vacancies had grown 48 per cent between February 2020 and November 21 for a total of 9700 spots according to the latest Australian Bureau of Statistics data.

There are 1600 jobs available in mining and resources in Queensland, according to job website Seek.

QRC chief executive Ian MacFarlane said the number one threat to the future viability of Queensland’s resources sector was a shortage of skilled workers.

“A combination of Covid-related border restrictions, less skilled migration and interstate competition for workers has created a perfect storm of labour shortages at a time of continued growth across the sector,” he said.

“Mining leaders have become increasingly concerned about attracting and retaining enough skilled employees to support industry growth.”

Mr MacFarlane said encouraging women into the industry simply made “good business sense”.

“Our sector is facing a chronic shortage of skilled workers, so it’s in our best interest to encourage more women to bring their skills, expertise and ideas to work in resources,” he said.

“Our ultimate goal is to achieve gender parity.”

Miner Rebecca Scott, who now operates an 800-tonne excavator, got her start in the industry 17 years ago — making her one in a “handful” of women at the time.

Getting a foot in the door in late 2005 involved relocating from Gulf Country to Moranbah, getting the required certifications and working at the town’s pub for a year until she networked her way into a job.

Ms Scott has now been trained in how to use artificial intelligence to load autonomous haulage trucks, which is a role at the cutting edge of modern mining.

Now a finalist in this year’s QRC resources awards, she said being a woman in the sector had been tough at the start but the push within the industry had led to “a lot more diversity” in the workforce.

“For women you’ve got the support now … (I would encourage them) to jump on board,” she said.

Originally published as Mining jobs Qld: 1600 roles still vacant as number of available roles soars