How to train for Australian mining
Which courses actually get you hired, where to study, and what the government will help pay for.
You do not need a degree to start earning six figures in Australian mining — but you do need the right tickets in the right order. This page maps out the training providers, the pathways, and the funding options open to you.
Training providers & RTOs
Long-running mining-specific training and job placement help. Popular Standard 11 and heavy plant simulator courses.
Managed mining apprenticeships and traineeships (fitters, boilermakers, auto electricians).
Government TAFE offering Cert II Resources & Infrastructure, Cert III trade quals, and heavy vehicle courses.
Underground and surface mining courses right in the WA Goldfields.
Short-course specialists — dogging, rigging, EWP, working at heights, confined space.
Cat 793/797, Komatsu 930E and dozer simulator hours — great for resume evidence.
Always check that a provider is a currently registered RTO on training.gov.au before paying course fees.
Common training pathways
- White Card + Standard 11
- HR truck licence (12 months held preferred)
- Apply to entry-level programs (FMG Trade Up, Rio Tinto Ready)
- First site placement — 3–6 months to full rate
- Cert III apprenticeship (3–4 years, paid)
- Site-specific inductions
- Move to mining maintenance after 1–2 post-trade years
- Shutdown crews or fixed plant for top pay
- Dogging (CPCCLDG3001)
- Basic Rigging
- Intermediate Rigging
- Advanced Rigging — shutdown day rates
- Bachelor of Mining Engineering or Geology
- Graduate program at Rio Tinto, BHP, FMG or Newmont
- Site rotations for 2–4 years
- Superintendent / senior engineer track
Funding & subsidies
- Jobs and Skills WA — subsidised training for many resource-industry courses.
- Australian Apprenticeships Incentive System — employer and apprentice payments through the trade.
- VET Student Loans — federal loans for approved diploma-level courses.
- Trade Support Loans — interest-free loans while apprenticed in eligible trades.
- Employer-funded tickets — many operators cover Standard 11 and site inductions once you're hired.