Tramps_mate

What's the Grad pay like for FIFO jobs in Africa?

yiknum

Hi guys, thanks for the info.

Verystormy, looking on the careersmine part of infomine, set it to Africa region, and found less jobs in general than Australia (according to their website I mean) and as usual each job wanting several years experience. I wouldn't mind a FIFO of UK to Africa job, I would like to see Africa, but getting your foot in the door seems the same there as it is in Aus.

Thanks for the extra info Jason, I will look up skilled. How did you find your time in Africa and how did you arrange getting your contract out there?

Again, thanks for the info guys, it's very helpful.

verystormy

Hi Yiknum

The trick with Africa and to some extent Oz is that most jobs are never adveretised. That makes life hard for new people into the industry as a lot of people move around via word of mouth. This is a very small industry.

The way to use infomine isnt just the careers section, but to research companies working in countries you are interested in.

Dont always be put off by somewhere saying they want x number of years experience. If they are only asking for a couple then there is no harm in still applying.

For African roles, avoid Nigeria and DRC as companies are usually not happy about sending grads there. If you have any language skills that is a major plus as west africa is mainly french speaking and east english.

Canada is also doing well at the moment and if you have spanish skills so is central and south america.

yiknum

Okay thanks VeryStormy, I'll make sure to look properly at jobs that say they want a couple of years experience in both East/English speaking Africa and Australia.

Any african countries you think look promising or less well known companies operating in Africa you could name? South Africa seems a little unstable at the moment.

I can't speak Portugese, Spanish or French (might look into learning them) and in Canada I heard it takes quite a while to progress through the ranks.

verystormy

Ghana, Zambia, Tanzania, Zim are all good. Generally all are fine, particularly if working for one of the larger companies.

Companies that take UK grads include Barrick, First Quantum, AngloGold, Gold Corp. Most of the juniors will be happy to as well. Personally i wouldnt do South Africa, though some people love it there. I have spent stints working in Jo'burg and there isnt enough money on the planet to make me move there. But as i say, some seem to enjoy it.

Canada does take longer to progress as you are regarded as a geologist in training for the first 5 years. However, it does mean that the training is a lot better than Oz or anywhere else. I come across a lot of junior geo's that are receiving so little mentoring and training that they have no hope of progressing there careers. Its very sad and a lot will do a few years and leave the industry.

But, where ever you go, life is going to get interesting for a while as the global boom is going to have a slowdown.

The best advice i can give is look for a company that has money in the bank and a stable plan. There were a lot of grads that joined the industry in 2008 with companies that were not best placed to manage a storm and when the GFC hit a lot found themselves unemployed. A big issue if you are in Oz on a 457 visa as you only have 28 days to find another job or leave the country.

yiknum

What don't you like about South Africa and what do other people seem to like about it?

I'm currently using http://www.infomine.com/companies-properties/ to look up companies, does anyone have any other resources like this, preferably with more emphasis on junior mining companies?

David1987

Hey there

Don't want to hijack your thread. I have just graduated with a geology degree this summer and I've come out to Australia to look for a job in the mining industry. I've applied for over a hundred jobs with sending resumes and covering letters to the mining companies, even went to brisbane to hand them out to the headquarters.

I know in Queensland where I am its much harder at the moment as the premier has upped the royaltys on mining goods so companies aren't taking on new people/not exploring and even making geologists redundant.

I here that there are still lots of jobs in WA and NT o be had. To be honest I'd be happy myself just to do work placments to get experience in the industry at this point and not thinking about getting the wage. I'm going to do some seasonal work and then move up to a mining town like Mt Isa or go to the NT or WA to look.

Just wanted ask you Jason if I'm going about things the right way? I just don't know whats the right way for a graduate to find a mining job over here. I am getting responses off people, just saying there isn't any vacant positions. As I said I'm considering moving to like Mt Isa or kalgoorlie etc. Have you any advice for me? even want to just a free work placement.

Tramps_mate

Over 2000 geologists (BMA, Rio and a few others according to the papers) have been sacked in Qld in recent weeks. My company just laid off 100, 50 of them grads. None i know of have found work so far and they are applying to anything and anywhere. It's gonna be bad for at least 12 months.

Tramps_mate

To be honest, I kept my job and I'm still looking at heading back to the UK or Canada..

David1987

jesus, means that when the Australians finish Uni in October the jobs market is going to be swamped with even more graduates. There still must be jobs out in WA though? My trip to Australia might have to be just a working holiday in that case. That premier is stupid for what hes done to the mining.

Tramps_mate

A lot of people blame the Government but its not all them. Problems with Coal and Iron are also stemming from European problems. Decreased spending in Europe from consumers hits Chinese production, therefor they dont need as much Coal and Iron. Also, Coal and Iron prices dont help and the ridiculous cost of extraction in OZ too.. They pay sky high wages through the whole industry then you get the Unions striking because they want more money. The BMA strike earlier in the year cost my company a contract for 100 positions which has lead to 100 Geo's being sacked recently. BMA requested and had in place a contract which my company employed for accordingly, only to have BMA cancel the contract and leave us with a lot of people and no work (You can see BMA's point and reason too!).

David1987

I guess you are right. Just doesn't put much confidence in mining companies opening new projects I guess. They aren't making the companies that have resources below $100 a tonne pay extra for royaltys, but how much they are getting per tonne can't be enough for them to keep going as you say with the high wages and running costs. I'd be happy to work for free and get some experience at this point though.

torface

Hi David,

Have you tried some of the mining service companies? I started in the industry working for a company called Terrasearch. I won't lie to you.. I didn't enjoy working for them much, but it did enable me to make the connections that got me my current job. Companies like that don't tend to advertise, but take on young geos all the time (they also have a high turn over).

Also i may be wrong, but I believe that Earth Data and Salva Resources are still recruiting for more junior roles. Well they were a few months ago at least. Might be worth a look. Try Gnomic too.

Try also searching for Field Assistant jobs. The market for them is probably just the same, but if you can't get geo work, it's a foot in the door and it'll set you in good stead for your career in my opinion.

As for moving to a mining town, I doubt it would help. But thats just my opinion

Good luck!

lesleys

I'll add GeoConsult in Brisbane to that list (we know a young geo there).

I come from a geophysics background and the job market was always highly volatile over the past 40 years. Cut-backs were always vicious, but things always cycle round again, usually out of sync with the wider economy. Starting with a contractor was always easier and you could swap between them for experience or a better life.

Good luck.

Tramps_mate

Geoconsult are a terrible company and pay awfully.

Plus they recently sacked a load of geo's..