Mining courses
5 mining qualifications in Australia, from certificates to the degree, compared side by side: cost, duration, providers and where each one leads.
- Qualifications
- 5
on this page
- Providers
- 279
across all qualifications
- Median pay
- $182,900
across roles in this field
- Employment growth*
- +19%
1 of 1 roles in shortage
Which of these is right for you?
We don't recommend one provider over another, but four things usually decide which qualification is the right one to start with.
- How much time can you give it?
- A certificate usually runs months, not years, and gets you working sooner. A degree is a multi-year commitment, but it's the only route into a registered profession like pharmacist.
- Do you want to study online, on campus, or both?
- Check each qualification's study modes below. Some are online only, some require placements or on-campus units even in a mostly online course.
- What's your entry point?
- If you're starting from school leaver or career change with no background in the field, the lowest rung on the ladder is usually the realistic start, not the top qualification.
- Which role are you aiming for?
- Some roles need one specific qualification. Others accept several. The roles section below says which qualification on this page actually gets you there.
The mining qualifications
5 qualifications, from certificates through to a degree. Each links through to cost, duration and the providers that teach it.
Certificates and diplomas
Certificate II in Resources and Infrastructure Work Preparation
74 providersThis is an entry-level qualification for people starting out in resources and infrastructure, the broad group of industries that covers mining, civil construction, drilling and oil and gas.
Certificate IIView qualification →Certificate II in Surface Extraction Operations
60 providersThis qualification prepares you for entry-level work as an operator in an open cut coal mine, a metalliferous mine or a quarry, doing tasks that follow set routines and procedures.
Certificate IIView qualification →Certificate III in Resource Processing
32 providersThis qualification prepares you to work as a production operator in mineral processing plants and coal preparation or treatment plants, where ore and coal are crushed, separated and upgraded before they move on.
Certificate IIIView qualification →Certificate III in Surface Extraction Operations
111 providersThis qualification is for people working in open cut mines and quarries, where the job is running the machinery that shifts rock and ore and keeping the site safe while it happens.
Certificate IIIView qualification →
What mining study leads to
The role where a mining qualification is a recognised route in, which qualification on this page it is, and what else you need.
