Geoscience Graduates:
Perspectives from the
AusIMM – the Minerals Institute
The AusIMM Geoscience Society
Alison Fairmaid, Bob Smith, Geoff Balfe & Dale Sims
The AusIMM Geoscience Society
The AusIMM provides services to professionals engaged in the global minerals sector, some 14 000
members and is supported by a network of branches and societies.
The AusIMM Geoscience Society's priority is to improve links to universities and academics in the
geosciences field and to support them in their educational endeavours.
Two-fold basis for promoting professional pathways:
1.
2.
Encouraging a career in the minerals industry
Providing support for the academic community
2014 Geoscience Society membership: 3927 members in or associated with the minerals industry
The minerals industry contains geoscience professionals working across
•
•
Mine geology, exploration geology, resource geology, hydrogeology, geophysics, environmental science
Consulting and management
Graduates are required to have a broad range of skills and a strong, well-rounded geoscience
foundation.
The Minerals Industry in 2014
•
•
Boom/bust nature of the minerals industry
We must not discourage students from undertaking Geoscience
degrees!
AusIMM Professional Employment Survey - September 2014. insightrix®
Geoscience course content
What is a geoscience/geology/earth science degree?
The Geoscience Society was approached by a geoscience educator to lend support and develop a
skills matrix.
Faculty pressure to reduce course content makes students unemployable
• Merging departments e.g. earth science and geography
• Merging individual subjects, effectively watering content down
Through much discussion and review over the last six months, the Geoscience Society has developed
a framework for course content that can be used as a guide when considering or developing a
geoscience curriculum.
• Can be used as a tool by heads of department and curriculum designers for resisting
faculty changes that may negatively impact a student’s employment prospects.
• Should not contain any surprises as most geoscience universities are already currently
teaching these courses.
• Is not too heavily minerals industry focussed.
Desirable course framework
Core – Geoscience
Advanced - Geoscience
Geology
Exploration Geochemistry
Field Mapping
Economic Geology
Igneous, sedimentary and metamorphic petrology
Geophysics
Laboratory techniques
Energy Fuels
Structural Geology
Sedimentology/Basin Analysis
Geochemistry
Palaeontology/Palynology
Ore deposits
Geomorphology and regolith
Geomorphology
GIS and computer modelling
Hydrogeology
Mining geology
Geophysics
Hydrology
Scientific Method
Ore mineralogy/microscopy
Statistical Methods
Geochronology/Isotope studies
Advanced Structural Geology
Research Project
Core subjects (Science):
• Physics
• Chemistry
• Maths and Statistics
Desirable skills or experience for a graduate geologist:
• Industry placement/Internship/Vacation Work
• Computer Science/GIS/Data Management
• Environmental geochemistry, hydrology
How the AusIMM can help
•
Support for HOD and curriculum designers in ensuring that geoscience remains a well-rounded
degree and that graduates are employable
•
Identification of specialists in the Geoscience field for supplementary education opportunities
• provide guest lectures in specialist areas, for example resources and economics,
geophysics, GIS or computer modelling.
•
Assist academics through the establishment and maintenance of links with industry for the
purposes of field trips, exposure to mining operations and student employment (e.g. Industry
Placement, Vacation Work and internships).
•
Academic memberships for access to publications, professional development courses and
conferences
•
Anything else you can think of!