Job prospects Undercutter Operator - Underground Mining in Alberta

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This occupation includes job titles whose primary duties and responsibilities lead to positive environmental outcomes. Job Bank uses a list of occupations that were identified as "green" through a task-based analysis conducted by the United States’ Occupational Information Network (O*NET), which was recognized by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) and adapted to the National Occupational Classification (NOC) in Canada. This list may change over time. Learn more.

Explore current and future job prospects for people working as an "undercutter operator - underground mining" in Alberta or across Canada.

Job opportunities in Alberta

These outlooks were updated on November 29, 2023.

Prospects over the next 3 years

The employment outlook will be limited for Underground production and development miners (NOC 83100) in Alberta for the 2023-2025 period.

The following factors contributed to this outlook:

• Employment decline will lead to the loss of some positions.
• Several positions will become available due to retirements.
• There are a moderate number of unemployed workers with recent experience in this occupation.

Coal production in Alberta has been in decline, largely because of the closures of mines aimed at producing thermal coal for domestic use. The government mandated transition from coal-fired power generation to natural gas-fired and renewable energy sources may limit the job opportunities for this mining related occupation. In addition, the proposed Grassy Mountain Coal Project in southwest Alberta, aimed at extracting steelmaking coal is under review by regulatory authorities.

Here are some key facts about Underground production and development miners in Alberta:

• Approximately 1,650 people work in this occupation.
• Underground production and development miners mainly work in the following sectors:
  • Mining and quarrying (NAICS 212): 60%
  • Support activities for mining, oil and gas (NAICS 213): 22%
  • Construction (NAICS 23): 7%
  • Oil and gas extraction (NAICS 211): 7%
• 42% of underground production and development miners work all year, while 57% work only part of the year, compared to 61% and 39% respectively among all occupations. Those who worked only part of the year did so for an average of 38 weeks compared to 42 weeks for all occupations.
• Less than 5% of underground production and development miners are self-employed compared to an average of 15% for all occupations.
• The gender distribution of people in this occupation is:
  • Men: 87% compared to 53% for all occupations
  • Women: 13% compared to 47% for all occupations
• The educational attainment of workers in this occupation is:
  • no high school diploma: 18% compared to 10% for all occupations
  • high school diploma or equivalent: 50% compared to 28% for all occupations
  • apprenticeship or trades certificate or diploma: 16% compared to 13% for all occupations
  • college certificate or diploma or university certificate below bachelor's: 11% compared to 19% for all occupations
  • bachelor's degree: less than 5% compared to 21% for all occupations
  • university certificate, degree or diploma above bachelor level: less than 5% compared to 9% for all occupations

Breakdown by region

Explore job prospects in Alberta by economic region.

Source Labour Market Information | Prospects Methodology