According to the Department of Employment’s Australian Jobs 2014 report released late last month, Australia’s mining industry employed 274,500 workers in November 2013, up by 55.5% or 98,000 jobs over the prior five years.
 
The largest employment gain was in metal ore mining, which was up by 42,300.
 
However, mining still only accounts for 2% of Australia’s total workforce.
 
Of the total mining workforce, 33% were aged over 45 years old, 15% were women and only 3% worked part-time.
 
The mining workforce is a fairly skilled group, with more than 40% holding a certificate III or higher vocational education and training qualification.
 
Australia-wide, 59% of mining jobs are in regional Australia, the second-highest only after agriculture, forestry and fishing.
 
According to the report, the rate of mining job growth slowed in 2013 and the projected change in mining jobs for the next five-year period through to November 2018 represented a 4.5% fall in employment, or the loss of 12,300 jobs.
 
The report cited the end of the construction phase for the expected fall in job numbers.
 
The mining industry contributed the largest number of new jobs in Western Australia over the five years to November 2013.
 
Mining employment soared by 52.8%, or 36,600 jobs, in WA to 105,900, or 7.9% of the state’s total.
 
“Mining is now the fourth largest employing industry in Western Australia (five years ago it was the eighth largest) and the state accounts for almost 40% of national mining employment,” the report said.
 
“It is worth noting, though, that over the year to November 2013, employment in mining in Western Australia fell by 5900 or 5.3%.”
 
Over the five years to November 2013, mining was the fastest-growing industry for employment in New South Wales with 55% growth.
 
According the report, the mining sector directly employed 52,400 workers, or 1.4% of NSW’s total.
 
In Queensland, mining job growth soared by 70% over the same period to nearly 81,000, though still only accounted for 3.4% of the state’s total jobs.
 
In Victoria, mining jobs grew by 26.5% to 13,800, while South Australia posted 35.5% growth to 13,300.
 
Mining notched up the highest growth in Tasmania, adding 1900 jobs to 3900.
 
In the Northern Territory, Australia’s smallest job market, mining job growth was more subdued, rising by 2.5% over five years to 5300 jobs.
 
At the time of the 2013 survey, mining engineering had one of the strongest employment outcomes for bachelor degree graduates with 96% employment.