The thought that some people would be interested in collecting rocks has never failed to amaze me. I figured it must be an acquired taste, a passion, a result of special training, or all of the above.
The interesting thing about mining engineering training is that it not only teaches needed skills to students—it also helps to actualize what is already there. Let’s examine what potential engineers are like, then.
Engineer Material
If there’s one person in particular who could benefit from and contribute best to the mining engineer program, it’s the problem solver. Throw in healthy doses of curiosity and creativity, and you’ve got a formidable engineer on your hands.
The kinds of problems that engineers tackle require a respectable amount of tech savvy and proficiency with numbers, as they often involve work with machines and computer systems.
Engineering and Emotional Quotients
The student must also have a knack for breaking things down into their component parts and studying them—in a word, analysis. As with their peers in other fields, mining engineers will also be called upon to analyze statistics and other forms of data.
Engineers don’t just concern themselves with rocks all day long, even if it does seem that way. There may be times when they’ll be asked to deal with people as well. Thus, a healthy amount of EQ, leadership and communication skills is in order.
Finally, the demanding nature of the job requires the student to possess a sound body as well as a sound mind. It’s no wonder, then, that mining engineers are highly respected in their field of interest.
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I was a mining engineer (and a geologist). I even made it to the top 10 in both board exams. At the start, working in the mines looks like a never-ending adventure where you get paid at the same time. Then the reality of the mining industry hit home when it crashed. The mining engineers and geologists were the first to go. The worst part of it – you couldn’t find a job in the other mines cause they were also laying off their people.
I shifted career to IT and I haven’t looked back at my mining profession. It is a cruel and thankless job. Even now, I hear from other mining professionals who are jobless after the recent financial crisis. The projects where they worked layed them off due to lack of funding.
Don’t let those stories about how rare Filipino mining engineers and geologists are and how much the country needs them. The reason mining professionals are rare is because the opportunities are just as scarce. You’d be better off taking some other course such as the other engineering courses, business or information technology.
@rtb
Thanks for the insight. It should help incoming college students about their future career choices.
In any case, for those who are looking for mining-related work, you may try your luck overseas. Mining engineers and professionals are still in demand in Australia. Check out their Skilled Occupation List. Information about this list (and how it will help you migrate to Australia) can be found here.