FIFO worker earning $90,000 for job in the mines with no experience: ‘Plenty of opportunities’
A young Aussie has shared how she got a FIFO job with no experience after leaving her corporate marketing role. Aussies can rake in big bucks working in the mining industry and you don’t necessarily need to get your hands dirty as a tradie or labourer.
Veronica Martinez is earning $90,000 a year as a FIFO kitchen hand in the Western Australian mines. The Perth woman told Yahoo Finance it took her almost a year to land the FIFO job but it was all worth it.
“What I love about FIFO is the lifestyle—it’s kind of like ‘work hard, play harder’. I get one week off to relax and go wherever I want,” she said.
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“If I take two weeks off, it’s almost like getting four weeks away with no drama about leave. The pay is good, there’s free accommodation, food is available 24/7, [which is] one of the perks of being a kitchen hand, there’s a free gym, and we even have our own personal trainer.”
There are a bunch of hospitality and utility jobs available in the mines, including kitchen hands, chefs, bartenders, cleaners and drivers.
Martinez said she decided to make the switch to FIFO because she found she wasn’t getting paid enough in her previous field and didn’t see herself developing further as a digital account manager.
Do you have a FIFO story to share? Contact tamika.seeto@yahooinc.com
“I enjoyed both jobs, but as someone with ADHD, I like experiencing different things, moving my body, and doing physical labor,” she said.
“I know it might sound weird, but I enjoy being active much more than sitting in an office.”
Martinez said she was able to get her job at the end of last year after persistently applying for entry-level roles, including service attendant and utility worker jobs.
While she doesn’t have any FIFO experience or any tickets or qualifications, she said she made a point to highlight her experience in previous customer service, retail and kitchen jobs when she was interviewed.
FIFO lifestyle can be lucrative but there are sacrifices
Martinez said her job involved two weeks on, with one week of day shifts followed by one week of night shifts. Shifts are 11 hours long.
“The job is easy—it’s mostly helping the chefs prep for dinner service, cleaning the dining room, and washing dishes,” she told Yahoo Finance.
“I always joke, ‘Why wash dishes at home for free when you can get paid $90,000 a year here by washing dishes?’ People always laugh when I say that, but it’s true.”