FIFO worker earning $250,000 reveals how Aussies with no experience can get into mining industry
An Australian FIFO supervisor has shared his best advice for other people hoping to get into the mining industry. Many Aussies are attracted to working in the industry due to the high salaries on offer and the lifestyle flexibility, and you don’t necessarily need to have qualifications to get in.
The man was stopped in the street in Brisbane and revealed he was earning a $250,000 salary package as a fly in, fly out [FIFO] supervisor in the mines. He said he had been working in the mines for roughly 16 years after starting his career as a truck driver and working his way up.
“FIFO, so you miss a lot of things, but you also gain a lot of things, you only work half the year. 7 on 7 off is my roster,” he told the job app Getahead.
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He said there were ways people could get into the mines without having any experience under their belt.
“Either go through the labour-hire companies, so they’ll train green, so we call them green like unskilled people. Or you apply for traineeships [at] the actual companies like BHP or Rio [Tinto] or Glencore,” he said.
The man said there were a ton of perks to working in FIFO, including the working hours.
Are you a FIFO worker with a story to share? Contact tamika.seeto@yahooinc.com
“To come down here and earn what I’m on now, I’d have to work in a high management role and work twice as hard for less money,” he said.
On top of that, he noted that expenses like food, accommodation, the gym and buses were all provided for workers.
According to SEEK, the average annual salary for miner jobs in Australia ranges from $125,000 to $145,000.
What types of entry-level FIFO jobs are available?
There are a range of different entry-level FIFO jobs on offer, but they have become highly competitive for people to break into.
FIFO recruiter Alana Mohi told Yahoo Finance drillers offsiders and bus drivers were two popular entry-level jobs.
Drillers offsiders can earn between $120,000 and $150,000, but Mohi warned it was a “hard” job that required a “very intense level of physical fitness”.
Bus drivers can earn $110,000 a year, she said, and while it is classified as an entry-level job, you will need a bit of experience and a relevant licence and authorisation.
If working on the tools as a tradie or a labourer isn’t for you, there are also a bunch of FIFO administrative, hospitality and utility jobs available.
