Interviewer: 60 Minutes presents a live interview with Dave Flanagan.
Interviewer: Dave, thanks very much for joining us tonight.
Dave Flanagan: Hi and thanks for having me, I'm looking forward to answering the questions tonight and will do my best to assist.
Interviewer: Lets start with our first question for tonight.
iwantwork asks: What experience and training is required? What would be my job title?
Dave Flanagan: There are a lot of opportunities in mining and they do involve you in getting involved in the mining industry first. For example I started out digging holes with a shovel when I was 15, that was my first job in mining. Because mining is so varied it depends in which area you are interested. Is it management, operations, technology, maintenance and so on. It's up to the individual what areas they are interested in. There are positions for cleaners, cooks, admin in the offices, or whatever, it's a case of having a go and moving up from there once you are in.
beatts55 asks: Congrats on the success. although hard earned I’m sure. Is there a link to your site where I can send an application ?
Dave Flanagan: You can contact jobs@atlasiron.com.au - we are recruiting at the moment although I can't comment exactly on the specific positions available. Good jobs with good mining companies are actually quite sought after, so people might not get the perfect job first up, but if you put yourself in a position where you get exposure and experience is a good thing. So you might start doing one thing and move into another position you were hoping for. In 1999 I couldn't get a job in the industry and had to get a job as a brickies labourer, so it's not always a smooth road but resilience and perseverance will help and just keep on hammering away.
tablesofsnow asks: I was wondering how u apply for jobs at your sites as I have experience with excavators and hr trucks yet all the mining jobs i see want experience with bigger trucks how do u get experience
Dave Flanagan: I would target specific earth moving contractors and see if you can get a ground floor position and work your way up. There are plenty of them out there including BGC, McMahons, NRW, Leightons so give it a go.
bazz121 asks: Hi I live in Tasmania if i wanted to get a job in mining over in WA would I have to move over to the mainland or do I get flown over and back
Dave Flanagan: There are potentials for fly in and fly out positions. We have people who do that from Melbourne so it would be reasonable to do the same for Tasmania
Courtney asks: Mr Flanagan, is it Atlas Iron that is currently mining the Pilbara region of WA?
Dave Flanagan: We are currently mining at Pardoo which is in the Pilbara and 75 kms east of Port Hedland.
Rusty asks: Hi David, the story was good, but didn't tell everybody watching you cannot get a job in the mining industry without experience, I have been sending my resume to places all over Australia, with a telephone call back asking, have you had any experience...i am looking for work as an emergency services officer....can you provide any suggestions?
Dave Flanagan: If you feel inclined perhaps buy a cheap return ticket to Perth and walk into peoples offices and show you have a passion to get into the industry. Go and see them face to face, be they contractors or the big mining companies. You would need to set aside about a week for that and go and see about 50 different outfits while there.
jackwalsh20 asks: What is the most important factor for Australia to help "beat" the recession in Australia and around the world
Dave Flanagan: That's a really good question. I'm not an expert in this but I believe that people need to realise they will be ok. In my experience if people believe they can do well they normally do. I'm no expert but that is my view. It's more than just people individually, the Nation as a whole needs to believe that and the confidence will be self-fulfilling and I can see it's already turning around.
jules asks: what would it be like for kids if the parents went and worked in the mines?
Dave Flanagan: It would depend on the rosters and the campaigns. I have kids and it's not much fun to leave the kids when I'm away but they are resilient and I think that kids can deal with it better than you think. Sometimes the kids live in the mining towns with their parents and those towns have great services. For some families the fly in and fly out is something they do for only a short period or after the children have left home. The rosters these days are far more family friendly than they used to be also. In the mining towns there are school facilities as well as sporting facilities for children. Kalgoorlie is a good example of a well services mining town, it's probably the best in the country and they have lots of facilities for children and families.
Holden asks: hi. Is the boom all that it claims to be? Are there still plenty of jobs and are there any at Atlas? If so what are the qualifications needed?
Dave Flanagan: I would say if the boom is claiming to be an opportunity for people to have jobs and opportunity for the Govt to fund social infrastructure for the next 30 or 40 years then yes there is opportunity. People should not have an expectation they will have it on easy street, we will still have to work hard to earn a dollar. Atlas and it's contractors will be looking for abut 100 people over the next 18 months and they will be pretty much everyone you need on a mine such as truck drivers, admin, geologists and all manner of people. As for the qualifications of these people, some will need experience but some won't and Atlas will continue to employ people from a variety of backgrounds.
katrina asks: With no experience, how do we get a job in mining?
Dave Flanagan: If someone really wants a job in mining, try and figure out as I said before, a cheap return ticket and accommodation for a week. Line up meetings at all the different companies and develop relationships and keep reminding people you are available. I'm sure eventually you will get something. You also might want to do some TAFE courses, there are course you can do as well as first aid training courses are handy. Different vehicle driving licences are also handy. Do the things that demonstrate you would really like to get into mining. If you turn up at a meeting be there 5 minutes early, have done some research about the company and dress neatly for the interview. If you know something about the company this will help at the interview. Get business cards and keep in touch after the interview. If you are looking for online opportunities try SEEK and other recruitment companies that have websites online, so get on the internet and search for links. I am a big believer however in face to face. I would rather employ someone I can see and meet in person than by an internet contact. Telephone contact is ok but if someone is really serious about wanting to be in mining they would be over in Perth looking in person. Start doing something locally and gain experience where you can, jump in the car and drive to Queensland and try the mining industry there also.
bashi asks: Are there still major issues with accommodation for workers on these projects? And how much does experience count in successfully getting work? The lady in the story came from a totally unrelated background. Is this the exception or the norm?
Dave Flanagan: I think yes there are some issues with accommodation, however the Mining companies resolve those problems for their staff. What people don't realise is that a lot of people are employed in mining but many come and go so there is high turnover. Almost everyone in the industry was fresh it at some stage. The lady in the story would be norm really. When I first started in the industry I was 15 and I got a job as a dogsbody, doing everything putting lids on jars, digging holes etc. it's lucky I was tall for my age.
Luke_P asks: Mining booms seem to come and go, how can we be sure of the longevity or sustainability of the current mines?
Dave Flanagan: Good question! Commodity prices fluctuate up and down so there will always be an ebb and flow of risk money into things like exploration that will always be there. But in the good times when there is a lot of exploration there is always a lot of discovers made that will become long life successful mines. With respect to how much more boom and bust there will be in the future I don't know but historically there has been a lot, so there's a good chance there is more to come. When things are good people have to go hard. Things won't always be good so take advantage of the good times for when things get tight. At the moment it feels as though things are starting to get good and that momentum will be sustained, I feel, for 5 to 10 years to come.
Anna asks: I'm wondering if the cooks and admin workers get paid the same as miners, but I suspect not.
Dave Flanagan: Everyone gets paid differently and each company is different. People who work on the mines obviously get paid more due to the hardship and remoteness of the location. The wages of cleaners and cooks etc who work in the remote mines would reflect the remoteness of their location.
vicmelb asks: Hi who is the recruitment company you go thru for those interested in working?
Dave Flanagan: As mentioned earlier, check online recruitment agencies such as SEEK, or contact the mining companies directly. For jobs at Atlas email jobs@atlasiron.com.au our website is http://www.atlasiron.com.au
Dame asks: I found the story very interesting, I have previously looked into working in the mines but have found the remote location, salary and rent within the fly in fly out location higher then intercity living. What is your opinion on this?
Dave Flanagan: Yes it is. If you wanted to live in Port Hedland for example it's more expensive. We have people who would fly-in and fly-out and rather go back home, they would go to Bali for example, it's a good way to see the world and earn a living. When I was doing fly-in and fly-out I did two trips to Fiji and got some amazing surf that I'll never forget.
andrew asks: Is there any specific job vacancies you are aware of now which would suit people new to the industry?
Dave Flanagan: If I have someone who walks into my office I would generally get them to call up drilling companies as they often employ people with no experience. I'd be surprised if someone when to drilling companies and didn't get a job soon. Also laboratories are another one that are often employing people new to the industry with zero experience. Sample preparation labs are a good place to start and enquire about employment.
Raeline asks: What skills are in the highest demand in your industry?
Dave Flanagan: I would say the person who I think would be the most employable would be someone who was able to demonstrate a balanced level head with respect to safety but had also worked in and around mines and had some operational experience. There is almost always a job for these people in mining companies. Yes we need geologists and processing people, but mostly we need good reliable level-headed people with the right attitude.
megangeo asks: Hi David, I am a student at the ANU currently studying geology, i have a passion for industry however without any experience I am finding it hard to get any work experience. Do you take on students at all? or have grad programs?
Dave Flanagan: Yes we do take on students. We have an informal grad programme but if people are looking for contacts, get in touch with the WA School of Mines Graduates Association, sorry I don't have an email address. I'm sure there would be opportunities. There are a lot of people in the industry like me, who would like to give people an opportunity to have a go, we just have to find them.
Interviewer: We have run out of time tonight, do you have any final words for those who have joined us?
Dave Flanagan: We actually employ mums part-time in our company so there are opportunities for mothers as well as for single workers. These women work around school and drop offs etc. With the resources boom it is an opportunity it is an opportunity for work, there is also a chance to feel you are contributing to something much bigger for generations to come and be a part of something you can be really proud of. That's why this industry appeals to me and I am so proud of the mining industry. Thanks for having me tonight it's been a good and interesting experience. I wish those of you who go for jobs a lot of luck and maybe I will see someone in the industry who I met here tonight. Thanks again.
Interviewer: This concludes our chat with Dave Flanagan, Sunday October 11, 2009.
