Figure 8 – Perceived Barriers Preventing New Entrants Qualitative responses, however, suggest that the above barriers are all interconnected. Limited educational exposure to the industry was cited to constrain awareness and understanding of modern mining practices. This informational gap, compounded by broader environmental stigma associated with extractive industries, was perceived to reinforce negative perceptions and suppress early-stage career interest. Respondents emphasized that without structured and accurate industry engagement during formative educational stages, misconceptions may persist and systematically divert talent from the sector. 5.3 Early Talent Industry Preparedness Industry assessments of graduate preparedness indicate moderate readiness upon entry. When asked to rate the preparedness of newly hired university graduates on a scale of 1 to 5, with 5 indicating extremely well prepared to enter the industry, 41.2% rated them 4 out of 5, 41.2% rated them 3 out of 5, and 17.6% rated them 2 out of 5. However, no respondents selected the highest rating, suggesting that while graduates are viewed as technically competent, they are not considered fully industry-ready upon hiring. Figure 9 – Perceived Preparedness of New Entrants to the Industry (1 = Not Prepared, 5 = Ready to Work) 103
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy MTM0Mzk2