Rock solid grounding in the study of life

Shaun Fauth is glad he's working in the NZ geology industry, even though Australia beckons. Photo / Supplied

According to the Canterbury University geology webpage, geologists seek to understand the causes of volcanoes, earthquakes and tsunamis and are directly involved in the monitoring, prediction and assessment of such hazards. Geologists have an important role in planning processes and in assessing environmental impact with major land utilisation programmes.

The investigation of foundations for buildings, bridges, roads, dams and reservoir construction also requires geological expertise.

University of Canterbury has two core first-year geology papers; Planet Earth and Understanding Earth History. Students take other papers around these, some of which can be from outside the science faculty.

From second year students develop a deeper skill base, learning geological principles and techniques, including interpretation of sediments, volcanic processes, how rocks deform in the Earth's crust and how ancient geological events are dated. Field studies are a major component.

Geology graduates find careers in a variety of areas, including mining and petroleum industries, national and local government, planning and conservation industries, energy companies and research institutes.

GRADUATE

Shaun Fauth

* Graduate mine geologist
* Started at Solid Energy in November 2007
* Age 24
* Graduate salary range: $45,000 to $55,000 with progressive salary increments.

I'm one of three geology graduates at Spring Creek Mine by Greymouth. In my role I supervise and manage drilling underground, planning, then interpreting drilling results. I also map what is happening underground, and I design the support required to stabilise tunnels.

I started at Canterbury University doing commerce subjects, but in my second year I decided to major in geology and geography. I was attracted to the practical learning in geology, particularly field trips where we'd learn how to build up a picture of the geology of the area, of faults and folding systems and map volcanic features.

The skills I use from my university study are the technical skills like mapping, draughting and different software. I only did one paper on mining. It was very broad and covered all mining, including gold, uranium and coal.

I come from Greymouth, so I've always been exposed to coal mining. I got work at Solid Energy during a university summer break; working in an underground mine really appealed because of its challenges. Spring Creek is quite a complicated mine, especially in terms of geology. The angle of the seam is very steep which makes it difficult to mine. It also has lots of faults which means we're more reliant on surface drilling, which makes it harder to predict the structure underground so mapping becomes more important.

This year I'm starting a Postgraduate Diploma in coalmine strata control through the University of New South Wales, funded by Solid Energy. It is very practical with an emphasis on geotechnical.

A lot of my peers headed to Australia for the big money but I'm really glad I stayed in New Zealand because the way we mine is different and our geology is more varied so I'm learning all the time. I have friends in Australia who say they get quite bored. Still, I do want to eventually move to learn and experience more.

Mining has really grown in the last five years because of the boom in Australia, although recently the jobs over there have been drying up a bit, which means we're seeing more interest back here.

EMPLOYER

Mary Reynolds
* Solid Energy human resources manager

Mining in New Zealand is complex because of our geology. It is not a 9 to 5 job.

We look for geologist graduates with Bachelor or Master's qualifications. We're keen to see what courses they've taken within their degree, too, because some are more useful than others. We're interested in field work and if they have an understanding of the properties of coal.

We want graduates who demonstrate a genuine interest in the industry. They should have researched Solid Energy and know who we are. Shaun knew Solid Energy because he showed an interest in the company while still at university and ended up doing summer work with us.

We also look for people who can demonstrate a good work ethic. That means they've turned up to a job regularly and proven they can work in a team.

We employ graduates into a two-year programme, rotating them through a range of work sites according to their skill sets. This exposes them to all our processes and disciplines, while developing their technical skills and knowledge. Through this programme they gain a range of competencies, earn as they learn and have a set of KPIs to meet. We also offer Postgraduate Diploma mining courses through a partnership with the University of New South Wales.

TRAINING PLACE

Qualification: Bachelor of Science (Geology and Geography)
Organisation: University of Canterbury
Phone: 0800 VARSITY (827 748)
Email: geology@canterbury.ac.nz
Web: www.canterbury.ac.nz
Entry requirements: NCEA University Entrance or equivalent. Some basic science knowledge is preferable but not essential.
Tuition fees: $5197 (first year), plus student services levy.
Length of time: Usually three years.
What it is: Also known as earth science, geologists study the materials and structure, natural processes, resources, origin and evolution of life itself.

angela@careerideas.co.nz