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Employer Quotes
The quotes below are from employers in this industry: Engineering
They are talking about this topic: Workforce Trends & Challenges
The quotes below are about this issue:
The Northeast economic planning region focused on the unique engineering needs of the mining industry.
| "At least in my business, most of it has been around mining. The skill set that we're requiring is in the mining area." | Metro |
| "We've got a significant presence in the mining industry, and it's pretty cyclical. And it has picked up, so of course we're looking for more mining hires. I think we have seen the potential where we're looking for maybe people with advanced degrees." | Metro |
| "There was a statistic that, as an industrial classification, mining is the highest in the state. As we've been going out and telling our story, we've been quoting some numbers saying that the average Minnesota wage, for all occupations, is about $46,000. The average mining wage—and this is a benefit-loaded rate—is something like $72,000. As you dig down into the BLS [Bureau of Labor Statistics] data and you look at hard rock mining, that goes up another 18 to 20 percent. So these are not only jobs, these are really good, well-paying jobs." | Northeast |
| "We just put together an educational committee through the Iron Mining Association. And one of the biggest disconnects we find up here is that the educators who are teaching our kids in the grade, middle, and high schools know very little about the businesses that we have up here. Nobody understands mining. One of the things we've identified is that we've got to get into the classrooms at a very early age. We can talk to the students, but really the people that are with them every day are the teachers. They need to understand our business. If a question comes up where the kid says, 'You know what? I don't need this. I'm going to work in the mines,' that teacher needs to address that. They have to know what type of jobs we have." | Northeast |
| "In addition to needing the mechanicals and the electricals—we're a unique animal, too, in that we're going back underground after 50 years—we need mining engineers. Our processing on the back end—the whole hydrobath and autoclave—we really need electrical and metallurgical engineers." | Northeast |
| "I know that mine engineering program, and for the number of mine engineers that are required in the area, it's a good thought. I know that [non-MnSCU college] has already offered a minor in mineral processing. And an [out-of -tate college] is close to reinstating the mine engineering degree there. I don't know whether we should go with it or not, whether it's the right thing. But I know one thing—it's very difficult to get instructors to teach in the mining field right now. There are only 15 mining schools in the country. Every one of them has had open positions for years. So, it's going to be very difficult, even if they get approval for the program, to find people to deliver." | Northeast |
| "As far as the mining industry, the trend is more and more moving from mechanical to electrical. The components in the machines nowadays—the shovels, the trucks, the drills—they're all electric drive. Maybe the mechanical program needs to emphasize a little bit more electrical. I know that more of the programs—even the millwright over at [MnSCU college] has introduced an electrical module course in their two-year curriculum. So, they've recognized the fact that a millwright is now going to be dealing with electricity." | Northeast |
| "One of the things in mining, from my experience, is that they would love to have mechanical engineers and other engineers in operations and maintenance positions. It's not just engineers these guys are hiring. These are people that they want to move into operations and production. Although, if available, they would prefer engineers in most cases." | Northeast |
| "I've got my demographics here for Hibbing, and you can probably multiply it by the six mining companies on the Range. In our management area, we've got 36 people that can retire today. And in our hourly group we've got 168 that can retire today. And for our hourly group, we require a two-year degree of the equivalent." | Northeast |