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Drillers, Miners and Shot Firers

Drillers, Miners and Shot Firers assemble, position and operate drilling rigs and mining plant, and detonate explosives to extract materials from the earth and demolish structures.

Trades & constructionLicensed workANZSCO 7122
$2,908/wkMedian full-time pay
72kPeople employed
+6% ▲Growth to 2035
97%Work full time
40Median age
Source: ABS · JSA, 2025-26ABS (Australian Bureau of Statistics) Labour Force via Jobs and Skills Australia (JSA), February 2026; ABS Employee Earnings and Hours May 2025; JSA Employment Projections, May 2025 base. ANZSCO 7122.More about our sources: How we check our facts

What they do

The main tasks of this occupation, from the national occupation standard.

dismantling, moving and reassembling drilling rigs and accessory planttaking samples of ore, liquids and gases and packaging themperforming minor maintenance and repairs, and lubricating and cleaning plantrecording performance details and information obtained from wells, and keeping logs detailing operationsoperating surface and underground mining plantundertaking development work such as opening up new shafts, drives, air vents, rises and crib rooms
Source: JSA occupation profileTask list from the Jobs and Skills Australia occupation profile for ANZSCO 7122 (ANZSCO task statements).More about our sources: How we check our facts

The outlook

Room for 3,800 more people in drillers, miners and shot firers by 2035 ▲

The field grew 4.4% in the year to February 2026, adding about 3,000 workers. Most of the jobs are in WA and QLD, with NSW third.

Source: JSA · ABS, 2025-26ABS (Australian Bureau of Statistics) Labour Force via Jobs and Skills Australia (JSA), February 2026; ABS Employee Earnings and Hours May 2025; JSA Employment Projections, May 2025 base. ANZSCO 7122.More about our sources: How we check our facts
64.1k2025
66.5k2030 PROJ.
67.9k2035 PROJ.

Getting in

There is no single way in. 43% trained through VET, 3% hold a degree.

Both paths are common in this field. These are the nationally recognised courses mapped to this occupation, with the number of registered training providers that offer each one.

Source: JSA · training.gov.auEducation split: JSA (Jobs and Skills Australia) occupation profile, using ABS (Australian Bureau of Statistics) Census data, ANZSCO 7122. Qualification mapping and provider counts: training.gov.au, the national register of vocational education, October 2026. Listed providers are current registered training providers (private providers and TAFE institutes).More about our sources: How we check our facts

Nationally recognised training · most offered first

RII30120Certificate III

Certificate III in Surface Extraction Operations

Resources and Infrastructure Industry Training Package · licensed work.

See 113 providers
RII20220Certificate II

Certificate II in Surface Extraction Operations

Resources and Infrastructure Industry Training Package · licensed work.

See 60 providers
RII31820Certificate III

Certificate III in Drilling Operations

Resources and Infrastructure Industry Training Package.

See 21 providers

Licensed work: several of these courses lead to work that also needs a state or territory licence. Training is the first step; licensing rules are set by each state.

See all 15 mapped courses
RII30120Certificate III in Surface Extraction Operations · 113 providers
RII20220Certificate II in Surface Extraction Operations · 60 providers
RII31820Certificate III in Drilling Operations · 21 providers
RII30320Certificate III in Underground Metalliferous Mining · 16 providers
RII40920Certificate IV in Drilling Operations · 13 providers
RII20420Certificate II in Underground Metalliferous Mining · 11 providers
RII20320Certificate II in Underground Coal Mining · 7 providers
RII32026Certificate III in Drilling Oil and Gas (Onshore) · 7 providers
RII30220Certificate III in Underground Coal Operations · 7 providers
RII41226Certificate IV in Well Servicing Operations · 7 providers
RII50820Diploma of Drilling Oil & Gas (Onshore) · 7 providers
RII51020Diploma of Well Servicing Operations · 7 providers
RII21222Certificate II in Autonomous Workplace Operations · 6 providers
RII41126Certificate IV in Drilling Oil & Gas (Onshore) · 6 providers
RII41522Certificate IV in Autonomous Control and Remote Operations · 1 provider

Providers are shown in A-Z order on each course page. A listing is not a recommendation.

Jobs open right now

72k Australians do this work. See who is hiring this month.

Search job ads by state

Each link opens seek.com.au in a new tab, showing ads posted in the last month. SEEK is a job site; we link there because that is where most Australian jobs are advertised. We have no commercial relationship with SEEK.

Source: ABS · JSA, 2025-26State chart shows people employed, not current job ads. ABS (Australian Bureau of Statistics) Labour Force via Jobs and Skills Australia (JSA), February 2026; ABS Employee Earnings and Hours May 2025; JSA Employment Projections, May 2025 base. ANZSCO 7122.More about our sources: How we check our facts

People employed by state, 2025-26

WA31.6k
QLD18.6k
NSW11.4k
SA4.1k
VIC2k
TAS1.3k
NT0.8k
ACT0.1k

Occupations near this one

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