This latest instalment in AIG’s Australian Geoscientist Employment survey series will provide data on trends in geoscientist employment in Australia during the first quarter of 2017.

The improvement in employment prospects for Australia’s geoscientists evident during 2016 came to an end in the final quarter of the year.

At 31st December 2016, the unemployment rate amongst Australian geoscientists was 14.4% and the under-employment rate was 19.5%, up slightly from 13.9% and 18.8% respectively at the end of September 2016. The unemployment and underemployment rates at the end of 2016 were, however, lower than those recorded earlier in the year.

There have been signs of improvement in the employment situation and state of the resource exploration sector in Australia. Consultants are reporting increased workloads but exploration expenditure in Australia remains flat. The land areas held under exploration licence in Australia also continue to decline.

This survey is opening only a relatively short time after the December quarter 2016 survey – this survey opens a month later than usual due to the Christmas and New Year holidays.

Thanks to your support, this survey series is becoming increasingly recognised as an important indicator of not only geoscientist employment but the general health of the exploration and mining sectors in Australia. The survey results are reported widely and used to promote and inform others of the health of an industry which is vital to Australia’s economy. Importantly, the data supports advocacy by AIG on the need to improve access to land for responsible, well executed resource exploration throughout Australia. Please support this ongoing initiative by taking a few minutes to complete this latest instalment in the survey series and encouraging your friends and colleagues to do so.

You do not need to be an AIG member to participate.  Please note that no data that could personally identify respondents is collected by this survey.

The few minutes of your time spent completing the survey really helps to make a difference to the standing and knowledge of our profession.

Complete the survey now by following this link.  The survey will be open until Friday 28th April.