Mining paydirt goes beyond coalface

Wages on average are keeping ahead of a rate of inflation that is way beyond the Reserve Bank's target.

MINING continues to pay the big salaries in Queensland, but it's not just those at the coalface reaping the benefits.

The resource sector is attracting people to a range of corporate roles such as human resources, legal, accounting and marketing.

U&U Executive Recruitment partner Scott Horton said many of those jobs were based away from the actual mines.

"All the big mining companies have a corporate function which, most of the time for Queensland, is going to be based in Brisbane," he said.

"So the mining companies pay more for those type of people on average than other corporates, who just can't afford to pay that level of salary."

The traditional mining jobs continue to pay the most overall, according to figures released this week by the Australian Bureau of Statistics.

Jobs in mining for all resources - including coal, gas and other minerals and ore - pay an average $2202.30 a week in total full-time earnings, up 6.5 per cent on last year.

That's way ahead of the second-highest average weekly earnings of $1656.20, paid to those working in the supply of resources such as electricity, gas, water and dealing with waste.

The bottom of the ABS table is the accommodation and food sector, with average weekly earnings of only $941.70.

But recruiters say any job connected with mining will pay above the average as the sector struggles with a skill shortage, with up to 4000 vacancies, according to the Queensland Resources Council.

Hays recruitment firm says non-skilled jobs such as cooks, cleaners and other support roles can pay between $30 and $45 an hour in mining-related industries, compared with $20-$30 an hour for similar jobs elsewhere.

Skilled jobs in mechanical, electrical and other trades can pay between $45 and $60 an hour in mining-related jobs compared with $25 to $45 in other areas, and those in mining are often working 40-60 hours a week.

Despite the riches on offer though, the firm's Queensland director Darren Buchanan said people should not expect to just walk into a high-paying job in mining.

"It's a different world to what we had back in 2008," he said. "It was easier to do it then. It's not so easy now.

"If you want to get those big dollars then you're going to have to put in the work.

"There are a number of people who aspire to that sort of money so you are competing with more people than you would have been back in 2008."

Authors: mining - Yahoo! News Search Results