The manpower challenge facing the global mining industry has been underlined by the results of a survey of 4,200 mining professionals conducted by leading mining recruitment job board jobs4mining.com and specialist mining recruiters Faststream. According to the survey, 80% of respondents claimed that they were planning on leaving their position within the next 12 months and were currently actively searching for a new job. The findings of the survey are available in Mining Global Employment Review 2011, published October 25.

Faststream CEO Mark Charman commented: “Major mining corporations, mid-tier, juniors and single mine companies alike are struggling to recruit enough geologists, mining engineers, metallurgists and other technical professionals to fill standard job functions. Candidates with around ten years of experience are in particular short supply. Inevitably this will lead to extreme shortages amid the huge mining projects penciled for development over the next decade. This is an issue which the mining industry cannot afford to ignore.”

The report also finds that mining industry professionals rate working conditions and career development opportunities over and above money when deciding on taking a new job. A company which can offer a fly-in fly-out rota, takes an active interest in its staff’s career path and runs a responsible operation is far more likely to be successful at retaining and attracting the best people. In fact, over 80% of respondents said that an employer’s commitment to Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) was an important or very important factor when deciding whether to take a new role with them.

With so many mining professionals seeking their next career enhancing opportunity, the report notes that it is inevitable that companies are under pressure to attract them with perks, bonuses, flexible working patterns. This of course works in the majors’ favour with their track record of long term career management and training policies. However, the report finds that if salary policies become more flexible and individuals are singled out for reward in order to fill a critical skilled position, it could eventually lead to unsettling labour relations issues.

A full copy of Mining Global Employment Review 2011 can be downloaded from http://bit.ly/tSDfuH