What industry do you work in and what exactly are your skills?
I work in the mining industry as a geologist. My skills are logging of core, geo-technical logging of core, correlation of coal seams and ply’s and being a rig technician for percussion and diamond rigs. I also have assisted in QAQC of lithological logs, measuring of groundwater and assisting in field mapping.
What inspired you to get into this sort of industry?
I have also enjoyed being in nature and being collecting rocks and minerals when I was at school still. So becoming a geologist was natural path for me to take.
What qualifications and experience did you have to gain In order to establish yourself and therefore become a professional within your industry?
I have an honours degree in geology obtained from Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University. My first job that I got was from November 2011 to May 2013.
What is the most challenging aspect within your field of work?
The uncertainty in the industry related with job security. This is usually related to changes in commodity prices and exchange rates.
How do you manage and overcome these challenges?
I manage the uncertainty in the industry related with job security by saving money. This helps if a person becomes retrenched, because you will not be in financial problems straight away.
What has been the highlight of your career?
As I have just started working I would have to say it was getting my first job and also gaining work experience.
If somebody starts as a trainee / beginner within your line of work, what could they earn in salary?
R200000 per year
What can this person expect to earn after 10 years of experience?
R 600000
Who is your role model and why?
My parents, the reason for this is that they are hardworking members of society and they have raised three successful children. They also put all three of their children through university.
What motivates you to work this hard?
Having a good work ethic is very important to me, because it creates a professional appearance for me. Also my goal is to be a successful geologist.
What is your outlook within your industry over the next 5 years?
Currently the resource prices have decreased by a large percentage over the last year from their previous highs. Resources prices over the last few months have shown a recovery. Therefore the mining industry should recover over the next 5 years.
As you know, numerous African countries are being invested in due to their rich minerals. Which country within Africa do you think will be the next hot spot and why?
The next country that has potential to the next hot spot is Mozambique. Tete region in Mozambique has large coal reserves and still lots more exploration is still taking place. Large amounts of infrastructure projects are being planned by the respective mining companies, due to the lack of infrastructure in Mozambique. This has been caused by the recent wars. There are also exploration projects for oil and gas.
