You can start in WA mining with no mining experience. The way in is an entry-level role: camp services such as cleaning and kitchen work, trades assistant or labourer roles, traffic control, or a traineeship run by a mining company. What does not work is buying a stack of courses before you have read a job ad. Pick the role you want, get only the tickets real ads ask for, be ready for a medical and a drug and alcohol test, apply directly to employers, and never pay anyone to be hired.
This guide covers each step with the official source behind it, checked in October 2026. It is general information, not a promise of a job: entry-level roles attract a lot of applicants, and nobody can tell you how long your search will take.
Can you get a mining job in WA with no experience?
Yes, if you start where the industry hires beginners. Jobs and Skills WA, the WA Government's careers and training service, says that as the resources sector grows there will be a high demand for semi-skilled and trade workers, as well as professional, technical and maintenance support workers. It also points out that a mine site's workforce goes well beyond miners: the staff on a mine site include chefs and cooks, cleaners, electricians, plumbers and many others.
"No experience" means no mining experience. Employers still read what you have done before. Hospitality, cleaning, labouring, farm work, driving, warehouse work, the defence force or any job with long shifts and early starts all count. What a recruiter wants to see is that you turn up, work safely and cope with long days.
Working in WA's resources sector (Jobs and Skills WA)jobsandskills.wa.gov.au
Is every mining job FIFO?
No. Jobs and Skills WA says fly-in fly-out, drive-in drive-out, residential, full-time and part-time job opportunities are available across the entire state. Some employers fly you to site from Perth or a regional airport. Some expect you to drive to site at the start of each roster. Some roles are based in a mining town, where you live full time.
Fortescue is a useful example because it publishes the details. It says that for its Pilbara operations it offers FIFO flights from Perth, Busselton, Broome, Karratha, Port Hedland, Newman, Fitzroy Crossing and Kununurra, that people who live elsewhere arrange their own flights to one of those places at their own cost, and that depending on the role it also offers some residential opportunities in Port Hedland and Karratha for people willing to relocate.
So before you apply, check three things in the ad: where the work is, whether it is FIFO, DIDO or residential, and where flights leave from. FIFO rosters explained turns 2:1 or 8:6 into real days at home.
Careers FAQ (Fortescue)careers.fortescue.com
Which entry-level mining jobs can you apply for?
These are the roles people with no mining background most often start in. What each one involves comes from the employer or the official body that sets the requirement, never from a guess about pay.
| Role | What the work is | What to check in the ad |
|---|---|---|
| Camp and village services | Housekeeping, cleaning, kitchen, bar, retail and grounds work in the accommodation village | Hospitality or cleaning experience, food handling, roster |
| Utility or service attendant | The all-rounder job in camp services: rooms, common areas, laundry, general duties | Same as above, plus physical work and shift length |
| Trades assistant | Helping qualified tradespeople with tools, materials, cleaning up and basic tasks on shutdowns and maintenance | Construction induction card, licence, any trade background |
| Labourer | General site work under supervision | Construction induction card, licence, physical fitness |
| Traffic controller | Controlling traffic around roadworks and work zones | Main Roads WA accreditation for work on WA roads, or the site's own requirement |
| Trainee operator or traineeship | Paid work while you study a nationally recognised certificate | Intake dates, eligibility, any priority groups named |
Camp services is the door most people overlook. Sodexo, which runs mining accommodation, says it has entry-level roles and is looking for hospitality all-rounders for housekeeping, cleaning, kitchen, retail and bar teams, and grounds positions, with FIFO opportunities in Western Australia, the Northern Territory and Queensland. A camp job is still a FIFO job: same flights, same roster, same camp. It also gives you proof that you can handle a swing, which every other employer asks about.
Traineeships run on intakes. Applications open and close, and some programs are reserved for particular groups. Set up job alerts on the careers pages of the companies you want to work for, so you see an intake when it opens.
The longer list of entry-level FIFO roles, including new-to-industry programs and apprenticeships, is in how to get a FIFO job with no experience.
FIFO opportunities (Sodexo Australia)au.sodexo.com
What tickets do you actually need?
Fewer than the course ads suggest. The rule: read ten real job ads for the role you want, write down what they ask for, and get those tickets only.
Construction induction card (White Card). WorkSafe WA says the requirement applies to construction work, which it defines broadly: work connected with the construction, alteration, repair, maintenance, refurbishment, demolition or dismantling of a structure, plus excavation and site preparation. That covers a lot of shutdown and maintenance work, which is why trades assistant and labourer ads often ask for it. WorkSafe says nationally accredited induction training from other states is recognised in WA, there is no requirement to repeat it, and the card becomes invalid if the holder leaves the industry for two consecutive years or longer.
Construction induction training (WorkSafe WA)worksafe.wa.gov.au
Traffic control accreditation. For traffic management on WA roads, Main Roads WA issues the accreditation. Its application form says you must be assessed as competent by a Main Roads Registered Training Provider, that a construction induction training card is a mandatory requirement for all levels of traffic management accreditation, that you need a driver's licence that lets you drive in WA without supervision, and that the accreditation is valid for three years. A mine site may set its own requirements for traffic control on site roads, so check the ad.
Traffic management accreditation application (Main Roads WA)mainroads.wa.gov.au
Driver's licence. Many ads ask for a car licence, often manual. If the role involves trucks or buses, the ad will name the class. The WA Department of Transport says you can apply for a Medium Rigid (MR) licence once you have held your car licence for 12 months, and a Heavy Rigid (HR) licence once you have held a car licence for at least two years, or an LR or MR licence for at least one year. So an HR licence is not something you can get in a week if you only just passed your car test.
Upgrade or add a driver's licence category (WA Department of Transport)wa.gov.au
Everything else. Working at heights, confined space, first aid and similar short courses are specific to a role, and some employers provide them after they hire you. Before paying a provider, check it on training.gov.au, the national register of training organisations, and ask your local Jobs and Skills Centre, for free, whether that course is worth doing for the job you want.
What happens in the medical and the drug test?
Expect both. Fortescue lists a pre-employment medical assessment as part of its recruitment process, alongside background, police and identification checks. Other employers have their own steps, set out in the ad or the offer.
On drugs and alcohol, WorkSafe WA says workers must be fit and well enough to do their job, must not be under the influence of alcohol or drugs, and must not use alcohol or illegal drugs while at work. It adds that prescribed and over-the-counter medicines can affect a person's ability to work safely too, and that employers manage this risk, which might include specific drug and alcohol policies. Read the policy you are given, declare your medicines honestly, and treat testing as something that can happen on any day of a swing.
Duties relating to drugs and alcohol (WorkSafe WA)worksafe.wa.gov.au
Where do you apply for mining jobs in WA?
Go to the source first.
- Company careers pages. Mining companies and their contractors post roles on their own websites. Fortescue, for example, says it only accepts applications submitted online through its careers website, and suggests creating a job alert if nothing suitable is open.
- Camp services companies. Apply to them the same way, through their own careers pages.
- Recruitment and labour-hire agencies. Some site roles, including shutdown and labouring work, are filled through agencies. Check the agency's own website and contact details before you send documents.
- A Jobs and Skills Centre. Jobs and Skills WA says its Jobs and Skills Centres are located throughout Perth and regional WA, that their services are free, and that they can help with career choices, choosing a training course, job searching, and apprenticeship and traineeship assistance. Call 13 64 64 to talk to your nearest centre.
Then be patient. Fortescue says its own recruitment process can take anywhere from 2 to 8 weeks depending on the role and the number of applications. Apply widely and keep applying.
Jobs and Skills Centres (Jobs and Skills WA)jobsandskills.wa.gov.au
How do you spot a fake mining job?
Mining jobs attract scammers because so many people want one. Scamwatch lists the warning signs of job scams, including:
- a hiring process that is quick, with no interview or discussion about your qualifications, experience or references
- a recruiter who contacts you unexpectedly by text or on an encrypted messaging app
- being asked to pay a "recruitment fee" or to pay for training materials before you begin the job
Rio Tinto says it will never ask for payment or financial details at any stage of its recruitment process, and that genuine contact from its recruitment team comes from an email address ending in @riotinto.com. Scamwatch's advice is to contact recruiters using a phone number you found yourself, and not to rush: a legitimate offer won't require you to make a fast decision.
A course is not a job offer either. If a provider says its course "guarantees" mine work, ask which employer has agreed to hire its graduates, then check with that employer directly.
Jobs and employment scams (Scamwatch)scamwatch.gov.au
Where will you live between swings?
If your flights leave from Perth, Perth is where you will spend your time off, and the room you pick shapes every fly-out day. You will be away for a week or two at a time, with early check-ins, so look for:
- A short run to the airport. Suburbs around it, such as Redcliffe, Belmont, Cloverdale and Ascot, cut the early-morning trip. Ask which terminal your flights use first: where to live in Perth as a FIFO worker compares the options.
- A room that stays yours while you are on site, with a door that locks and somewhere to leave a car.
- Housemates who know your roster, so nobody is surprised when you sleep through your first day back.
- A room you have seen inside before you pay. The full order of jobs for a move, including how bond and rent work in WA, is in moving to Perth for FIFO work: the complete checklist.
Kipmates is a room-share marketplace launching in Perth, built first for FIFO workers. Your roster sits on your profile, hosts can mark a household as FIFO-friendly, listings show the weekly rent and the move-in date, and every conversation stays in on-platform messaging. Arriving in Perth for your first swing? Get the room list: one email when Kipmates opens, with rooms near the date you need.
Looking for a room? Kipmates has your back.
FAQ
Can you get a mining job in WA with no experience?
Yes, in entry-level roles. Jobs and Skills WA expects high demand for semi-skilled and trade workers, and a mine site also employs cooks, cleaners and other support staff. Camp services, trades assistant, labourer, traffic control and traineeship roles are the usual starting points. Competition is strong, so apply widely.
What is the easiest mining job to get with no experience?
There is no official ranking. Camp and village services, such as housekeeping, cleaning and kitchen work, are where companies like Sodexo say they have entry-level roles. Experience in hospitality or cleaning helps.
Do I need a White Card for a mining job in WA?
Only if the job involves construction work, which WorkSafe WA defines broadly to include maintenance, repair and excavation. Many trades assistant and labourer ads ask for it. A construction induction card is also mandatory for every level of Main Roads WA traffic management accreditation.
Do I have to pay to get a mining job?
No. Scamwatch lists being asked to pay a recruitment fee or for training materials before you start as a sign of a job scam. Rio Tinto, for one, says it never asks for payment at any stage of its recruitment process.
Are all mining jobs in WA FIFO?
No. Jobs and Skills WA says FIFO, DIDO and residential roles are available across the state. Fortescue, for example, offers FIFO flights from several WA towns and some residential roles in Port Hedland and Karratha.
How long does it take to get a mining job?
It varies with the role and the number of applicants. Fortescue says its own recruitment process takes 2 to 8 weeks from application. Add the time it takes to be shortlisted, which nobody can predict.
Sources
Checked October 2026.
- Ready to get into one of the world's most exciting industries? and Jobs and Skills Centres, Jobs and Skills WA, Government of Western Australia.
- Careers FAQ, Fortescue.
- Careers FAQs, Rio Tinto.
- Take Flight with Sodexo: FIFO opportunities, Sodexo Australia.
- Construction induction training and Duties relating to drugs and alcohol, WorkSafe WA.
- Application for Main Roads Traffic Management Accreditation: Traffic Controller and Basic Worksite Traffic Management, Main Roads Western Australia.
- Upgrade or add a driver's licence category, WA Department of Transport.
- National Training Register, training.gov.au.
- Jobs and employment scams, Scamwatch, National Anti-Scam Centre.
