The Role of Universities in the Industry’s Future
Key enablers of the green energy transition
The mining industry will add between 11,000 and 13,000 jobs annually for the next 20 years. Many of these will likely remain unfilled; in April 2023, the US mining sector had 36,000 job vacancies, up from 27,000 in 2022.
International Council on Mining and Metals (ICMM) executives estimate more than half the mine workers in the US are aged 45 years or older. According to the Society for Mining, Metallurgy, and Exploration (SME), around 220,000 US mining workers are expected to retire by 2029, a mass exodus creating a substantial knowledge and skill gap and exacerbating the talent drought.
According to the ICMM, the global shift toward automation and digitalization is adding to this challenge by demanding more specialized skills. New roles, such as data scientists, geospatial analysts, and artificial intelligence (AI) specialists, are becoming increasingly vital. “The mining industry is currently contending with significant macro trends that hinder effective data utilization, most notably the shortage of skilled talent such as mining engineers and geologists,” noted Rob Hardman, president and general manager for North America at Maptek.
Unfortunately, the number of people entering the workforce will not be a rainstorm to fix the drought. US mining graduates declined by 39% between 2016 and 2022, according to the SME. There were only 600 mining engineering students enrolled across the US in 2022, a sharp decrease from 1,500 in 2015.
According to the Center for Strategic and International Studies, university programs dedicated to creating this workforce are shrinking, with mining and mineral engineering programs in the US dropping from 25 in 1982 to 15 in 2023. For comparison, China has over 38 mineral processing schools and 44 mining engineering programs. China’s largest mineral processing program has 1,000 undergraduates and 500 graduate students alone to help accomplish China’s mineral ambitions.
The shortage presents an imminent challenge, said Charles Kocsis, department chair at the department of mining engineering at the University of Utah: “With a labor shortage looming, particularly as many in the industry are set to retire, this decline in enrollment could have serious implications for the development of new mines and production output. An estimated 350 new mines will need to be developed over the next 20-30 years to meet the increasing global demand for critical minerals like copper, lithium, uranium, gold, silver, etc.”
Metal ore output in the US has been declining at an average rate of 2.7% annually from 2019 to 2023. Labor shortages are a likely factor, reflected by the 7.3% annual growth in unit labor costs. To counter this, metal ore mining companies increased hourly compensation by 6.2% per year from 2019 to 2023. This effort did not result in significant increases in employment, which rose 0.6% over the same period.
These dynamics are concerning for the industry. 71% of mining leaders even say the talent shortage keeps them from delivering on production targets, according to McKinsey. Additionally, 86% report finding it increasingly challenging to recruit and retain talent, a significant issue as the green-energy transition drives up demand for mined metals. This pressure is exacerbated by the US goal to increase domestic production and reduce reliance on talent- and resource-rich China.
Universities step in
Institutions like the Colorado School of Mines are using this urgency as an opportunity to attract new talent. “We recognize the challenges facing the industry and appeal to our students' desire to solve global problems, particularly in areas like energy expansion, growing populations, and the need for more minerals. We highlight how important mining is to the world’s future and present it as an opportunity for them to make a meaningful impact,” said Bill Zisch, head of mining engineering at the school.
This approach has yielded promising results, said School of Mines president Paul Johnson: “We piloted a new “Futures” class where students tackle real-world issues like energy, water, and carbon. Through this, they discover the relevance of mining in the larger context of energy and sustainability. This approach helps increase awareness of mining as a career option, not just for mining engineers, but also for students in other fields.”
The School of Mines is onto something; 86% of Gen Zs and 89% of millennials say having a sense of purpose is important to their overall job satisfaction and well-being and are increasingly willing to reject employers who do not align with their values, according to Deloitte’s 2024 Gen Z and Millennial Survey.
Contributing to the world’s electrification to prevent one of the greatest mass extinctions in the planet’s history, and maybe even our own, should be reason enough. Even still, 70% of youth aged 15-30 say they “Definitely would not” (42%) or “Probably would not” (28%) work in mining, according to a survey cumulated by McKinsey.
“Industry leaders should enhance the visibility of the mining sector by effectively communicating its value and positive impacts on technology, infrastructure and the economy.”
Jodi Banta, Program Manager & Researcher, School of Mining & Mineral Resources, University of Arizona
Why?
A report published by the US Department of the Interior in 2023 cites the negative public perception of the industry as a major obstacle. “I suspect that the media's unfair portrayal of mining as an environmentally damaging industry plays a role”, agreed Kocsis.
The invisibility cloak
But there is more to it. “It is impossible to attract talent to an invisible industry. Many students lack familiarity with mining and struggle to envision a career in it,” revealed Jodi Banta, program manager and workforce development researcher at the University of Arizona School of Mining and Mineral Resources (SMMR).
“Although the relationship between mined materials and technology is evident for those in the industry, many people do not realize that the devices they rely on daily are made from materials that originate from mines,” continued Kocsis.
“Surveys at the University of Arizona reveal that many students’ ‘top of mind’ association with mining is still coal”, added Banta, who also highlighted that “a recent study in Australia found that just under half of young people say they do not know there are career paths in the mining industry outside of doing the actual mining.”
Changing the narrative
What is the solution? According to Johnson, early visibility, or making your company and employees known to students when they are freshmen, is one answer: “When students see someone just five or 10 years ahead in their career, someone they can relate to, it becomes easier for them to envision themselves in that career. The more visible companies are, the better chance they will attract talent.”
Visibility efforts seem to be paying off, said Kocsis of the University of Utah: “In 2022, we had five, and last year we saw an increase to 15 incoming freshmen students. In 2024, we welcomed 20 freshmen into the mining engineering program. This increase can be attributed to a team effort that included open houses, outreach to parents and high school students, and engagement with professionals from companies like Rio Tinto, Newmont, Wolverine Fuels, who spoke directly to the students.”
Starting even earlier is crucial to addressing the problem at its root. “Research revealed a critical lack of awareness about mining careers, highlighted by a survey showing that 60% of American science teachers felt unqualified to recommend mining. To combat this, SMMR launched a mining and minerals teachers’ academy for high school and middle school science teachers. This is in addition to our well-established K-12 education outreach program, which reaches over 6,000 students and hundreds of teachers annually,” shared Banta.
Fortunately, social media has made the world more connected and visible than ever before, presenting a powerful tool the industry must leverage to drive change. “This year, we are on track to receive over 20,000 employment applications, a significant increase from last year's 11,000,” started Keaton Turner, founder, president and CEO at Turner Mining Group. “This surge reflects our robust social media efforts to not only promote our brand but also highlight opportunities within the mining sector, particularly in the US,” he continued.
Action is needed
The Colorado School of Mines is the only US-based school in the 2024 QS World University Rankings of top 12 mineral and mineral engineering schools. Of the other 11, there are four in Australia and Canada and one in Russia, Chile and Saudi Arabia.
In September 2023, the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources introduced the Mining Schools Act of 2023, a bipartisan legislation allocating US$10 million per year, from 2024 to 2031, to a grant program for mining schools to recruit more students. Moves like this are essential if the US is to meet the rising demand for talent in the mining sector.
The future of the mining industry—and its role in the green energy transition—hinges on attracting and developing skilled talent. Universities, industry leaders and policymakers must collaborate to reshape perceptions, increase visibility, and build purpose-driven pathways that appeal to the next generation.
Article header image by jzehnder at Adobe Stock