I can completely identify with what John Elliot has
stated. I am also in a position where I have as much
work as I can handle. It is very pleasing to be
earning a prosperous living using my skills and
experience as an exploration geologist.
On talking about the 1998 - 2003 mining industry
recession, I find many of my professional colleagues
reluctant to explain how they made ends meet over
those difficult years. For the sake of this coming
event at RSM, I will outline how I supported my wife
and two sons over that time.
I worked in factories, on building sites and in
warehouses as a casual labourer often earning the
minimum wage (or slightly above it). During that time,
I made 100's of phone calls around the world and
financed my way to spending 3 weeks of door knocking
of mining companies in Peru, all to no avail. Being as
qualified as I was, I found that I could not persuade
employers to take me on for skilled professional posts
as I was overqualified whilst for labouring positions,
my educational background was ignored. (I hold an
M.Sc. in Mineral Exploration.)
I warmly welcome geology graduates to seek and take up
employment within the mineral exploration sector; it
is a rewarding and very interesting area of
employment. However, the possibility / probability of
having to spent a number of years being forced to earn
a living doing somthing ENTIRELY DIFFERENT AND
POSSIBLY HIGHLY UNINTERESTING must be conveyed to
these students / graduates.
Regards
David M. Pollard
Consultant Geologist
--- John Elliot <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
> MessageDear Barry and John,
> I am a practising contract geologist in minerals
> exploration and like every other similar geologist,
> have been subject to every boom and bust in the
> industry in my career. ( Is it my imagination or are
> the busts always longer than the booms?) Personally
> I hope the current shortage of geologists lasts
> forever and that the profession is not about to
> destroy the golden goose by churning out masses of
> graduates.
>
> I hope starry-eyed students are made aware of the
> pitfalls as well as the highs of the job told that
> by the time they graduate there's a good chance
> we'll be in another bust and the facelesss men in
> finance will have taken charge and sacked the
> geologists.
>
> It is a great life, students, but if you want to
> make money go into accounting or law.
>
> Cheers,
>
> John Elliot
> Anzeco Pty. Limited
> mineral exploration consulting services
> Bathurst, NSW 2795, AUSTRALIA
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: Chapman, John
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Sent: Thursday, April 20, 2006 9:26 PM
> Subject: Solving the Skills Crisis
>
>
> Dear all,
>
> As you'll no doubt be aware, despite the current
> commodities boom and widespread optimism, the global
> mining industry is facing an acute skills shortage.
> However, with enrolments to mining and geology
> courses on the increase, there has never been a
> better time to act.
>
> Following the last low in the mining cycle, links
> between academic institutions and the mining
> industry in the UK are relatively weak, and as part
> of a campaign to better educate students about the
> opportunities offered by the mining industry and get
> graduates back into mining, a 'Students into Mining'
> evening has been organised at the Royal School of
> Mines, Imperial College London.
>
> This will take place on Tuesday, 2nd May,
> beginning at 5pm, and will consist of a series of
> short presentations followed by an informal
> networking session in Harringtons Bar where
> students, academics and professionals can meet,
> discuss opportunities, and exchange ideas over some
> food and drinks.
>
> A selection of companies will be talking briefly
> about their activities, life in the industry and, in
> particular, focusing on any work experience they can
> offer to the students and graduates to help them
> gain vital practical skills and increase their
> exposure to mining and mineral exploration.
>
> The event is completely free due to the generous
> support of our sponsors, who include; The Mineral
> Deposits Studies Group of the Geological Society,
> SRK Consulting, Proactiveinvestors.com, Mining
> Communications and Serabi Mining, along with several
> other companies to be confirmed. The evening is open
> to everyone - any students or recent graduates from
> any institution, and mining and minerals industry
> professionals from any discipline or background.
>
> If you are interested in attending this event, or
> have any questions or comments relating to this
> initiative, please don't hesitate to contact me at
> [log in to unmask] Please forward this
> information to anyone not on the Geomineralisation
> list who may be interested. I look forward to
> welcoming many of you to the Royal School of Mines
> on the 2nd.
>
> Many thanks and kind regards,
>
>
> - Barry
>
>
>
>
>
**************************************************************
>
> Barry Stoffell MSci ARSM
>
> Fluid Processes and Mineralization Research
>
> Room 2.58F
>
> Royal School of Mines
>
> Imperial College London
>
> SW7 2BP
>
>
>
> Tel: +44(0) 20759 47195
>
> Mob: +44(0) 7929 231621
>
>
>
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> Geo-mineralisation is administered by the Mineral
> Deposits Studies Group (UK) (http://www.mdsg.or.uk)
>
>
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> Geo-mineralisation is administered by the Mineral
> Deposits Studies Group (UK)
> (www.mdsg.or.uk)
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