XXXI International Mineral Processing Congress 2024 Proceedings/Washington, DC/Sep 29–Oct 3 161
“Universities have experienced this in various ways.
Declining domestic enrolments in the US, for example,
have been partly offset by growing international numbers.
Australia and Canada, which also rely on immigration to
maintain population growth, have aggressively promoted
their universities as destinations that will strengthen a
migration claim. The UK, leaving the European Union,
has declared itself “open for talent.” Disruption, they say,
is already underway, and “the ability to transform will be
a critical one for educational institutions to cultivate, so
they can change shape and respond to a changing world of
education” [KPMG 2020].
A bolder solution is proposed by another professional
services group, Ernst and Young (EY). “Universities need
to innovate for a future that accommodates both degrees
and micro-credentials, intellective and job-ready skills, and
synchronous and asynchronous learning, using online or
hybrid delivery models” [Friday, 2022].
Others are suggesting removing universities from the
picture altogether. PwC’s “Mine 2023” report, subtitled
“The Era of Reinvention,” points to the inadequate sup-
ply of university graduates and urges mining companies
to invest in education at the site and community level, or
attract migration of skilled workers, while also broadening
the available talent pool by supporting remote communi-
ties and increasing gender and ethnic diversity. In another
2023 report they go so far as to refer to the Mining indus-
try’s inability to attract talent as an “existential crisis” [PwC
2023].
Despite these provocative statements it is unlikely that
universities will be replaced as primary providers of min-
ing and mineral processing, but they may find themselves
working within a wider array of educational pathways, and
operating in new and different ways.
CONCLUSION
The future of the mining industry depends on a skilled
professional workforce. Investment in training programs,
programs aimed at attracting new talent, and programs
designed to retain experienced professionals is necessary.
For decades, the mining and mineral processing commu-
nity has been sounding the alarm about an impending
skills shortage. The problem appears to finally be gaining
the attention it deserves, driven the critical minerals boom
and global uncertainly.
Industry, universities, governments and thought-
leaders must now work together to ensure that the mining
industry has the workforce it needs to thrive in the years to
come.
REFERENCES
Brandon, Clifford. Emerging Workforce Trends in the
US Mining Industry. Society for Mining, Metallurgy
&Exploration (2012). [Online] Available at: https://
www.smenet.org/docs/public/emergingworkforce
trendsinusminingindustry1-3-12.pdf.
Department of Industry, Science and Resources.
Commonwealth Critical Minerals Strategy
2023–2030, updated https://industry.gov.au
/CriticalMineralsStrategy.
Drinkwater, D (2017), Minerals Industry: Education
and Training II, A Roadmap for Minerals Processing
Education, IMPC Monograph Ed: D. Drinkwater,
2017, available at http://impc-council.com/wp
-content/ebook.
EY. (n.d.). How better project management can boost min-
ing’s capital productivity. EY Australia. https://www.
ey.com/en_au/mining-metals/how-better-project-
management-can-boost-minings-capital-productivity.
Friday, Catherine (2022) “Are universities of the
past still the future?” EY. Available at: https://
www.ey.com/en_au/education/are-universities
-of-the-past-still-the-future.
Hayes, P. (2023). Delprat lecture 2023 [Unpublished lec-
ture]. University of Queensland, Brisbane.
Howard, Brendan. How do we nurture the future of the
Australian minerals industry? AusIMM Bulletin
(2023) [Online] Available at: https://www.ausimm
.com/bulletin/bulletin-articles/how-do-we-nurture
-the-future-of-the-australian-minerals-industry.
KPMG International. (2020). The Future of Higher
Education in a Disruptive World. KPMG
International Cooperative. https://assets.kpmg
.com/content/dam/kpmg/xx/pdf/2020/10/future-of
-higher-education.pdf.
McKinsey &Company (2023). Has mining lost its lus-
ter? Why talent is moving elsewhere and how to
bring them back. [Online] Available at: https://
www.mckinsey.com/industries/metals-and-mining
/our-insights/has-mining-lost-its-luster-why-talent
-is-moving-elsewhere-and-how-to-bring-them
-back#/.
Minerals Council of Australia (2018). Submission to Senate
Select Committee on the Future of Work and Workers
Inquiry, January 2018.
Pillay, Segran. Miners’ Talent Crunch: Attracting
and Retaining Millennials. The Future of Work |
Accenture, Accenture, 29 Mar. 2018, www.accenture
.com/us-en/blogs/blogs-attracting.
“Universities have experienced this in various ways.
Declining domestic enrolments in the US, for example,
have been partly offset by growing international numbers.
Australia and Canada, which also rely on immigration to
maintain population growth, have aggressively promoted
their universities as destinations that will strengthen a
migration claim. The UK, leaving the European Union,
has declared itself “open for talent.” Disruption, they say,
is already underway, and “the ability to transform will be
a critical one for educational institutions to cultivate, so
they can change shape and respond to a changing world of
education” [KPMG 2020].
A bolder solution is proposed by another professional
services group, Ernst and Young (EY). “Universities need
to innovate for a future that accommodates both degrees
and micro-credentials, intellective and job-ready skills, and
synchronous and asynchronous learning, using online or
hybrid delivery models” [Friday, 2022].
Others are suggesting removing universities from the
picture altogether. PwC’s “Mine 2023” report, subtitled
“The Era of Reinvention,” points to the inadequate sup-
ply of university graduates and urges mining companies
to invest in education at the site and community level, or
attract migration of skilled workers, while also broadening
the available talent pool by supporting remote communi-
ties and increasing gender and ethnic diversity. In another
2023 report they go so far as to refer to the Mining indus-
try’s inability to attract talent as an “existential crisis” [PwC
2023].
Despite these provocative statements it is unlikely that
universities will be replaced as primary providers of min-
ing and mineral processing, but they may find themselves
working within a wider array of educational pathways, and
operating in new and different ways.
CONCLUSION
The future of the mining industry depends on a skilled
professional workforce. Investment in training programs,
programs aimed at attracting new talent, and programs
designed to retain experienced professionals is necessary.
For decades, the mining and mineral processing commu-
nity has been sounding the alarm about an impending
skills shortage. The problem appears to finally be gaining
the attention it deserves, driven the critical minerals boom
and global uncertainly.
Industry, universities, governments and thought-
leaders must now work together to ensure that the mining
industry has the workforce it needs to thrive in the years to
come.
REFERENCES
Brandon, Clifford. Emerging Workforce Trends in the
US Mining Industry. Society for Mining, Metallurgy
&Exploration (2012). [Online] Available at: https://
www.smenet.org/docs/public/emergingworkforce
trendsinusminingindustry1-3-12.pdf.
Department of Industry, Science and Resources.
Commonwealth Critical Minerals Strategy
2023–2030, updated https://industry.gov.au
/CriticalMineralsStrategy.
Drinkwater, D (2017), Minerals Industry: Education
and Training II, A Roadmap for Minerals Processing
Education, IMPC Monograph Ed: D. Drinkwater,
2017, available at http://impc-council.com/wp
-content/ebook.
EY. (n.d.). How better project management can boost min-
ing’s capital productivity. EY Australia. https://www.
ey.com/en_au/mining-metals/how-better-project-
management-can-boost-minings-capital-productivity.
Friday, Catherine (2022) “Are universities of the
past still the future?” EY. Available at: https://
www.ey.com/en_au/education/are-universities
-of-the-past-still-the-future.
Hayes, P. (2023). Delprat lecture 2023 [Unpublished lec-
ture]. University of Queensland, Brisbane.
Howard, Brendan. How do we nurture the future of the
Australian minerals industry? AusIMM Bulletin
(2023) [Online] Available at: https://www.ausimm
.com/bulletin/bulletin-articles/how-do-we-nurture
-the-future-of-the-australian-minerals-industry.
KPMG International. (2020). The Future of Higher
Education in a Disruptive World. KPMG
International Cooperative. https://assets.kpmg
.com/content/dam/kpmg/xx/pdf/2020/10/future-of
-higher-education.pdf.
McKinsey &Company (2023). Has mining lost its lus-
ter? Why talent is moving elsewhere and how to
bring them back. [Online] Available at: https://
www.mckinsey.com/industries/metals-and-mining
/our-insights/has-mining-lost-its-luster-why-talent
-is-moving-elsewhere-and-how-to-bring-them
-back#/.
Minerals Council of Australia (2018). Submission to Senate
Select Committee on the Future of Work and Workers
Inquiry, January 2018.
Pillay, Segran. Miners’ Talent Crunch: Attracting
and Retaining Millennials. The Future of Work |
Accenture, Accenture, 29 Mar. 2018, www.accenture
.com/us-en/blogs/blogs-attracting.