Geological Exploration in the light of the Credit Crunch
I, in common with most Exploration Geologists over the past 4 1/2 years, have been very active. In a certain sense, I have had more work than I had wanted. This time has been spent largely working for three different clients with an almost seamless transition from one client to the next.
I returned home from my most recent contract in Canada at the end of October to a very different world to that of a few months' earlier. For the first time in 4 1/2 years, I don't have a future contract arranged and I don't know when I will obtain my next contract. At this moment in time, I am not particularly concerned about my personal situation either from a professional or an economic perspective. I can understand that many exploration companies are deferring the decision on hiring personnel until the New Year.
My only concern is that Mineral Exploration recessions can be long, cruel and protracted. Between 1998 and 2003, many of us were unable to find professional work. I, personally, found the need to work as a factory or building site labourer as there was no other suitable employment that I was aware of being available to me.
I am not one who expects to be handed opportunities on a plate; opportunities arise through determination, tenacity and intuition. I do feel, however, that the Mining Industry recession between 1998 and 2003 was a lost opportunity as far as the British Government was concerned. Perhaps no one drew attention to our politicians that there was a significant band of highly competent geologists, who with a little help could have been incorporated into one industry or another within the UK. After all, isn't the British Government concerned that there is a shortage of scientists available to industry? For example, many of us on low cost short term contracts, could have been taken on by the BGS as part of a low budget national exploration programme.
The opportunities for work in 2009 are uncertain. I may find myself fully employed throughout the forthcoming year. If finance for geological exploration does prove to be a problem, I do hope that this time around, the British Government may offer some form of assistance that can result in our scientific skills being usefully employed.
David M. Pollard
An interesting suggestion.
However, I think a temporary surplus of geologists is the least of our problems. Much more serious will be a longer term shortage of geologists and mining engineers due to successive closures of geology and mining departments at British universities from the 1980s onwards.
The result of this is a seriously distorted age-profile of the geologists and engineers available for consulting work. Right now there are plenty of experienced people available, but many are (like me) in their 60s. I have worked as a member of consulting teams for several clients in the past few years. The cumulative experience in these teams has been as impressive as the average age of their participants, but as time goes on, the pool of available people will reduce due to age, incapacity, or simply a decision to retire. This is an irreversible process, and I just don't see the numbers of younger geologists out there to replace us. The credit crunch itself may be a signal to many that the time has come to exchange the hammer for a garden spade.
I think the more serious problem will be a shortage of geologists come the next boom. This isn't just a British problem, either. For example, in Russia, which used to have more geologists than any other country, they have exactly the same problem though for slightly different reasons. From the early 1990s young people aspired to go into "business" rather than science, and the kudos attached to science careers in Soviet times has completely vanished along with much of the funding for universities to teach the sciences.
So I would propose a slightly more radical suggestion: reopen some of the closed university geology departments and mining schools (or expand the few remaining ones), and make available part-time teaching posts, research fellowships, emeritus professorships, and the like, to those whose valuable experience could then be passed on to the next generation rather than simply lost when they retire. I for one would be delighted to spend a few years working at a nearby university - whether part-time or full-time. There is currently an effective barrier to anyone trying to enter the academic world after a lifetime in industry: lack of formal teaching experience, combined with lack of research publications. That barrier needs to be broken down.
Re-Employment of Exploration Geologists
clear mind in the middle of credit crunch
Geological Exploration in the credit crunch
Have i got time to become a geologist ?
Hello guys, it looks as though ive found the right people to put my question to here, and a big thankyou to any of you with some usefull advice. I hope this question is inline with the topic/thread.
I am due to begin a BSc in Geology this September, the only problem being is that by the time i graduate, i will be at the ripe age of 36. Can i ask you well honed geologists; is it realistic that at this age, that i would be likely to be taken on as a graduate geologist (in one form or another) ? Have you come across late starters before ?
The area's i would like to get into is either engineering geology, or contaminated land remediation.
There is alot of media out there at the moment urging people in their late 20's, early 30's to begin degree's in a variety of subjects. I myself have been an electrician for 12 years (but got totally dissalusioned with it), so decided to do a geology degree and then attempt to become a geologist.
However, i am questioning myself that im too old (i'll be 36 when i graduate) to begin such a venture. Does anyone agree, or not ! ?
Thanks