Mining skills: Careers with a future, “Financial Mail”
Johannesburg, South Africa – Another generational skills gap is looming in the mining industry as graduates with relevant degrees, unable to find jobs, seek other careers.
Despite the downturn of the past few years, which has resulted in tens of thousands of mining job cuts, the industry remains acutely short of experienced metallurgists and project managers, says Mary Murray, principal at global executive search group Pedersen & Partners.
In January, South Africa’s department of higher education & training gazetted its biennial list of occupations in high demand. The list included geologists, metallurgical and mining engineers, and mining and rock engineering technicians.
Murray says most of the skilled people working in the global mining sector are over 50 or under 35, reflecting the previous industry downturn.