40 MAY 2022 WorldWide Drilling Resource® Growing Mineral Demands Mean More Mining Jobs for the Future Adapted from Information by Minerals Make Life The efforts of U.S. miners have and will continue to provide the foundation of supply chains feeding into nearly every sector of the economy and supporting national defense in the U.S. Working behind the scenes, miners are responsible for generating nearly one-fifth of the national gross domestic product, and the industry itself supports more than a million high-paying jobs which benefit all Americans. The mining industry offers hundreds of different job opportunities and is a rewarding career path for individuals who want to be part of a team utilizing cutting-edge technologies to deliver materials needed for infrastructure reinvestment, the reshoring of essent ial supply chains, cl imate solutions, and economic growth. The world’s growing demand for minerals means the mining workforce will need to grow with it. The mining industry is a highly technical field which already employs leading technology in autonomy, mobi l ity, active safety, and advanced data and analyt ics. These capabilities require a more technical workforce, but attracting and retaining great talent is a challenge. According to a 2019 report from the Mining Industry Human Resources Council, enrollment in undergraduate mining engineering programs has declined in recent years. At the same time, the latest predictions show a need for between 29,000 and 48,000 new hires in the next five years. As a result, many companies are offering benefits such as development and training opportunities, including leadership training; hiring and retention bonuses; daycare; recruitment programs for active and former military personnel; and a focus on a values-based culture. Today’s workers want to be part of positive change. For this reason, some mining companies are engaging with communities where they work to provide a rewarding experience for everyone involved. Coeur Mining, for example, has a partnership with By The Hand Club For Kids, an after-school program helping children who live in Chicago’s under-resourced neighborhoods. Employees from the company introduce kids in the program to opportunities, mentors, and experiences they may not have had otherwise. This past summer, Coeur Mining was thrilled to welcome a By The Hand “kid,” now a college freshman, as a summer intern, and introduced him to a career in mining from their corporate headquarters in downtown Chicago. As the nation’s push for climate-neutral energy solutions and economies continue to electrify, the demand for mineralladen technologies will grow across nearly every sector. In the U.S., ambitious net-zero goals and plans to overhaul the country’s infrastructure and energy systems will require more minerals being produced each year than ever previously thought possible; this increasing demand inevitably goes hand-in-hand with remarkable career opportunities. The culture of modern mining continues to evolve alongside technological advancements, placing innovation among the highest priorities. From grant funding to cutting-edge research programs, there’s a craving for bright minds and forward-thinking ideas. As they have in the past, miners will continue to play a huge part in powering the future. A community outreach program by mining company employees in Chicago included cupcake core sampling, which taught kids about exploration and why core sampling is important. Kids participating in a birdseed mining activity learned about mining engineers and how mining is sometimes a “needle in a haystack” activity. Images courtesy of Coeur Mining. MIN
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