A COURSE to offer job seekers a better understanding of life working in the mines has been developed by the Mining Industry Skills Centre.

“Drill Down” explains everything from terminology and accommodation issues to shift work and isolation.

Skills Centre chief executive officer Derek Hunter said the aim of the course was to familiarise potential mine workers with the reality of life in the industry.

He said the attrition rate for the industry was estimated to represent more than $140 million in associated costs a year.

“Of the estimated 9500 people leaving organisations within the sector each year, 18.4 per cent had commenced their employment in the previous 12 months,” Mr Hunter said.

“Our research suggests that reasons for leaving the sector after such a short time are employee expectations not being met, whether it’s due to job fit, working conditions, geographic location or inadequate support.

“We believe that this course will go some way to informing potential employees of the realities of life on a mine site and also help industry reduce the attrition rate.”

The course is held over one day and the material covers key modules such as expectations and reality, working life and daily routine, family, relationships and lifestyle and managing financial temptation.

At the end of the course, participants will work with the course facilitator to develop a portfolio suitable for mining industry job applications.

They will have the knowledge to map their goals to gain employment in the industry.

Mr Hunter said while the course did not specifically guarantee a job, he hoped it would help industry, including the many recruitment and training companies supporting them, find the best candidates for further training and possible jobs.

“Our industry will experience a massive skills shortage of 30,000 jobs over the next five years. However, we need to ensure we’re finding the people best suited for those jobs,” he said.

Skills Centre research and development general manager Deb Jones said her research team spent months collating the information they felt necessary to share with potential job seekers.

“The information presented in this course has been specifically crafted with job seekers in mind,” she said.

- For more information visit www.drilldownmining.com.au.

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