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Now that post-secondary is almost behind you and you're ready to start your career as an Information Technology professional, you may be wondering where to start. It's forgivable if the mining industry doesn't immediately spring to mind. Most people probably think of lanterns and scruffy miners leading gold-laden mules down craggy cliffs, but the mining industry has embraced the 21st Century and then some. While yesterday's mountain man likely couldn't print his own name, the mineral magicians of today rely on automation and cutting-edge gadgets to prospect.

IT professionals may not be down in the depths, but there's still plenty of work to be done above-ground. Mining is a highly mechanized and scheduled process, says Michelle Stone, vice president of exploration with Stonegate Agricom, Ltd. Computers aid the industry in understanding and estimating the location of potential mining resources. And she should know; while she's a newly-minted manager, she's worked her way up through the industry over the past 16 years in IT. So, what kind of fancy equipment might the industry employ?

The industry involves a lot of technology, says Mark Montgomery, IT lead at AMEC's Vancouver office, who is entering his 17th year in the industry. There's remote data communications, networking, radio communications, GPS and remote sensing, processing plant instrumentation systems and other automated systems. It's involved work, but the rewards follow. While it varies with factors like position, level of education, location of employment, and the particular employer, entry-level wages are in the neighborhood of $50,000 a year.

So, you've got the job and now you're helping with the hi-tech needs of a mining company. What kind of work environment are you likely to encounter? Like every industry, there are factors to consider when entering the mining sector. The chance of re-location, both permanent and temporary, is real, and in some cases over-time and shift-work are involved. The job might involve shift-work if you're at an existing mine or smelter, confirms Montgomery. If you're at a mine construction site, it will definitely involve shift and overtime work. While a corporate setting would likely follow a regular nine to five, Monday to Friday schedule, the more remotely located projects operate on a 24-hour basis, and involve some concentrated work hours, according to Stone. Work rotations may last three weeks before a break is allowed. It's likely that you'd be working standard 8-12 hour day-shifts, and be available on an on-call basis in case of emergency.

As far as advancement, career arcs vary, but Stone is an example of what dedicated years in the field might bring. She's made VP, but there was a chain of jobs she went through to get there. There's a lot of room to move in IT, but it may be sideways until a significant breadth of skills are developed. Montgomery agrees: Most engineers spend the first 10 years out of school learning the ins and outs of their chosen discipline. Promotions in this phase are modest, but salaries do adjust for experience and expertise. Depending on the company, advancement may mean a physical move, but one person's down-side is another's boon. One of the perks of being in the exploration and mining industries is the opportunity to travel, says Stone. Some IT support can be done remotely, but it's far more effective being directly at the site.

Recent events have high-lighted the repercussions of botched resource extraction, and the environment is on everyone's mind these days. However, the North American way of life shows no signs of halting. There are many wonderful things in our modern world, and people often forget they're made from raw or recycled materials at some point, says Montgomery. Mining is a series of physical and chemical processes, we cannot escape that. But, if you can look at your BlackBerry or iPhone, and say, ÔÇÿI'd love for this device to be made with as little environmental impact as possible, and I'm interested in making that happen', that's fantastic. Do it! Problems need solutions, and we always need bright, motivated people to help solve problems for current generations and those to come. jp

Photo: Branex/Thinkstock