The weather boffins will assure that you that TC Debbie was different to TC Yasi, but Hogsback reckons he can see some similarities in the aftermath.  

There was a time – after Yasi wreaked havoc on the central Queensland coal fields – when mining companies and contractors could not attract enough skilled workers and were forced to recruit cleanskins from outside the industry and teach them to be productive operators.

Those were the days when the bloke pulling beers behind the bar in your typical mining town was earning more than a university professor with three degrees in Sydney, and when local tradies needed two double garages for their two SUVs and their two boats. 

According to the latest Hays quarterly report, fitters and operators, boilermakers, and underground drill and blast engineers are three of the skill sets in demand in Australia’s resources and mining market. 

In New South Wales, vacancy activity is still increasing for temporary maintenance tradespeople with experience on both open cut and underground mining equipment. 

“As coal prices continue to rise, mining houses are requesting temporary staff to assist with peak periods,” Hays said. 

“Original equipment manufacturers and fabrication companies are also demanding skilled labour hire to meet orders from Hunter Valley mines, mainly related to the maintenance of equipment.

“Mechanical fitters, boilermakers and diesel mechanics are still in demand as mines take advantage of the increase in coal prices and carry out maintenance on their equipment.”

In Queensland, some major mining companies have expanded their sourcing location and opened up more FIFO opportunities from different locations in the state since local candidate levels are decreasing. 

“While there’s still a preference for temporary staff, permanent opportunities that do arise are snapped up very quickly,” Hays said.

This demand is being felt by mining companies, contractors and OEMs. 

Mining labour hire group One Key Resources could place 500 miners in jobs immediately due to the surging demand for qualified mining personnel, according to its managing director Grant Wechsel.

He said along with an increasing demand for skilled mining workers he was also seeing an increase in wages.

 “If I could have another 500 qualified workers lined up outside our offices across the country today, I would be able to put them into good resources jobs tomorrow,” Wechsel said.

“The demand is there from major mine owners across all commodities including coal, iron ore and gold, as well as with major mining contractors.

“We’re talking the full range from open cut and underground operations, especially from the established mining areas in Queensland, New South Wales and Western Australia.”

Wechsel said One Key was hiring mainly for longer-term contracts of a year or more, rather than just filling short-term positions.

A varied skill set is in demand including dump truck and multi skilled operators, diesel fitters and auto electricians as well as underground miner drivers, operators and experienced tradespeople.

After the downturn many cleanskins and other people fed up with the boom-bust cycle of the coal mining industry decided to leave it for good or were unceremoniously downsized out of a job.

What we’re now seeing is a rebound of sorts particularly since coal prices have lifted over the past few months.

No-one knows how long the nice bounce in coal prices will stay at the elevated levels of US$300 in TC Debbie’s wake, but there seems to be a healthy demand for mine workers and tradesmen who are in line for healthy pay packets.