‘Truly senior’ geoscientists available

With regard to the commentary “Geoscientists in short supply,” (T.N.M. Jan. 6-12/06) I hope this is not “dj vu, all over again.”

In the latter half of the 1970s, the minerals industry was booming, especially the nuclear industry. Colleges and universities, some with no minerals industry experience at all, began turning out geoscientists in cookie-cutter fashion. Many graduated only to face a dwindling job market because a forecast energy crisis did not materialize and the Three Mile Island incident had put the nuclear industry on hold. This put these new graduates in direct competition with geoscientists — well experienced in uranium — who were now trying to find work in base and precious metals. A glut ensued and, unfortunately, many jobs went to the lowest bidder, experience be damned. I hope we do better this time around.

It is heartening to see that at least the Canadian mineral resource industry is in contact with colleges and universities. However, communication needs to be ongoing, not just when an impending crisis may be at hand, to ensure that enough geoscientists are being trained to meet the needs of the industry.

Currently, I do not see a shortage of experienced geoscientists in the minerals industry. For almost a year now, I have answered numerous job postings. With nearly 20 years experience in three metals, including gold and uranium, I thought my mailbox would be stuffed with offers. Surprisingly, only one company even extended the courtesy of a reply. I attended the Northwest Mining Conference in early December and heard similar stories from many of my associates. We range in age from mid-50s to early 70s, many with over 30 years experience in the industry and yet, apparently, our age group is now considered too long of tooth or too long out of the industry to be of much use. The truth is, there is no reason any healthy individual cannot continue working in the minerals industry well into his ninth decade, if he wanted to.

There is a wealth of knowledge and experience to be tapped by the mining industry from those of us who are truly “senior.” Many of us would welcome the opportunity to fill the immediate needs of the industry as short-term employees or consultants until greater numbers of geoscientists and engineers, if they are truly needed, can be trained. But, to encourage more young people to consider a career in mining, the industry needs to change its image as a boom-and-bust employer.

In the late 1980s, one upper-level manager stated his company’s philosophy for geoscientists was “plan your work, work your plan, keep your furniture in the moving van.” That might sound exciting for unmarried recent graduates, but, in my view, it signalled a lack of planning and long-term thinking by upper management. It also showed a lack of consideration and appreciation for those working in the field. Maybe he didn’t realize it, but to those with families, he was also saying: “And put your life in a garbage can.”

The military uses 2-year tours to give some stability to the lives of its “employees.” The minerals industry, which is competing with other industries for the minds and talents of the next generation, might want to consider something similar. Few want to go through five to eight years of higher education only to be treated as migrants.

Hopefully, this time around, if this “boom” truly has legs, the industry will do better in communicating its needs with academia. It will make better use of the knowledge and skills of the “senior” engineers and geoscientists available now. And, it will try harder to offer more stable and rewarding career opportunities to future generations.

E.A. Johnson

Butte, Mont.