Mining Engineers

To learn about the profession of mining engineering, you may find it helpful to talk with science teachers and school counselors and with people employed in the minerals industry. You might also wish to read more about the industry and its engineers.

Companies and government agencies that employ graduates of mining engineering programs also hire undergraduates as part of a cooperative engineering education program. Students often enter such programs the summer preceding their junior year, after they have taken a certain number of engineering courses. They normally alternate terms of on-campus study and terms of work at the employer's facilities.

On the job, students assume the role of a junior mining engineer. They report to an experienced engineer, who acts as their supervisor and counselor. He or she assigns them work within their capabilities, evaluates their performance, and advises them as though they were permanent employees. Students have ample opportunity to interact with a diverse group of engineers and managers and to ask them about their work, their company, and mining engineering in general. Participation in the actual practice of the profession can help students assess their own aptitudes and interests and decide which courses will be most useful to them during the remainder of their engineering program.

It is also a good idea to join a science club while in high school, such as the Technology Student Association (https://tsaweb.org). You should also check out the American Society for Engineering Education’s precollege Web site, https://precollege.asee.org, for general information about careers in engineering, as well as answers to frequently asked questions about engineering.