Mining Sector will need 86,000 Extra Workers by 2020

Paul Cristofaro (AU) Jul 26, 2008 CANBERRA—Australia's mining sector will need an extra 86,000 workers over the next 12 years, a new report has found. The Minerals Council of Australia (MCA) today released the report prepared by the National Institute of Labour Studies (NILS) on the sector's labour force outlook to 2020. The research projections show an increasing demand for labour if Australia is to maintain market share in global commodities markets. The mining sector will need to employ 86,000 more operational workers, from 128,000 in 2008 to 215,000 in 2020, an increase of 68 per cent, the report found. Almost 50,000 of those workers will be needed in Western Australia. More than 20,000 of the new workers will be needed for iron ore and 19,000 will be needed for coal. Most will be tradespeople and semi-skilled workers.... [read full story]