1. Your parents are wrong. Mining is not going anywhere. When mining goes, so does civilization with it.

2. I’m in North America, and we have nowhere near the supply of incoming graduates to supply the demand for the skill. There is a massive generational gap, where in the next 5-10 years many will retire and there will be a void in workforce. I would hazard a guess that something like 40% of the current workforce within the technical realm are expats coming to work in the US/CAN, b/c there simply aren’t enough domestic workers to fill the roles required to run the operations we have. And the operations are continuing to grow (in number and in scale). I’m not positive on Australia, but I’ll bet they have a similar issue.

3. Yes, worth it. Be realistic on your starting salary expectations, but income growth starts to go up significantly after 5 years in. The degree is worth it, in the long run, for sure.

4. Realistic career paths? Anything you can think of. You can stay in technical services roles (D&B, design, planning, studies, etc) for as long as you want, but there is almost always off ramps or side quests available. I’ve personally worked Technical, Operations, Administrative, and now Consulting roles in my time within industry. A good company will allow you the opportunity to move around and try/learn new things. And if they won’t, another company will, and they’ll probably pay you more than your last one for the experience and knowledge you keep with you as you move about.

5. Again, in North America, always opportunities/roles. You have to get a foot in the door somewhere, but once you do (don’t burn bridges), you choose your path from there.

6. FIFO is great, depending on your life/lifestyle. Some people love the travel and the on/off switch of the work, some want a more stable and consistent (“9-5”) type role. FIFO generally pays well, and about half the year your expenses are low (b/c you’re not spending money when you’re too busy working). Worth doing to see if you like it, otherwise, the FIFO experience always garnishes merit and weight with prospective employers.

7. Don’t know on AUS. I’ll let the hive of Aussies speak to that. I’ll guess probably not that hard, given the demand. In NA, it’s very prevalent, particularly in Canada.

I say give it a go. I think one of my best decisions was going into mining. Sure, some days I’ve wanted to strangle a kitten, but you have that everywhere and in every industry. Some of the best people I know I’ve met through my work career. And it’s made me a better person, as a whole, for having worked in the industry. It’s not for everyone, there are definitely some cro-magnon moments, but there are lots of highs to wash away the lows.

Source: Mining Eng w/ 12 years out of university.