The Future of Mining Talent: What STEM graduates really think, and what the industry can do about it
As the world accelerates toward net zero, the demand for critical minerals has never been greater — yet the mining sector that enables this transition is facing a major talent challenge.
A new global report from Sandvik, _“The Future of Mining Talent: What STEM graduates really think, and what the industry can do about it,”_ reveals how the industry can turn this shortage into an opportunity by rethinking how it engages the next generation of engineers.
Key findings:
* Nearly 40% of STEM students are unfamiliar with mining as a career path.
* 90% say they would consider joining the sector if convinced it contributes meaningfully to tackling climate change.
* Safety and environmental perceptions remain deterrents, while innovation, high-tech work, and impact are key motivators.
The research highlights how digitalization, automation, and electrification are reshaping mining into one of the most dynamic engineering fields – and why the next generation of talent could be the catalyst for sustainable transformation.
New Sandvik report reveals a golden opportunity to attract Next Generation of Engineers to the mining industry
The global mining industry faces a growing shortage of engineering talent, but new research from engineering group, Sandvik, suggests this challenge could be turned into one of the sector’s greatest opportunities.
The report, _The future of mining talent: What STEM graduates really think, and what the industry can do about it_, reveals that while awareness of mining remains low among young engineers, many are open to joining the sector once they understand its modern realities and role in tackling the global energy transition.
Based on a survey of 824 STEM students and graduates across nine countries, the study found that nearly 40% of respondents are unfamiliar with mining, and a similar proportion cite this as a reason for not considering it as a career path. Yet the same survey also shows a major opportunity for change: more than 90% said they would be more likely to consider a career in mining if convinced that it contributes meaningfully to addressing climate change.
“The findings highlight a huge untapped opportunity for our industry,” said Mr. Stefan Widing, President and CEO of Sandvik. “When young engineers understand that today, mining is not just about extraction, it’s about tackling some of the world’s most important challenges using digitalization, automation, and electrification, they see a sector where they can apply their skills to make a real difference.”
The report also highlights strong motivators for new graduates: high salary potential, use of cutting-edge technologies, and complex engineering challenges. Conversely, safety concerns and perceptions of negative environmental impacts remain key deterrents.
With almost half of the US mining workforce expected to retire by 2029 and engineering enrollments declining at multiple universities globally, the report calls for greater collaboration between companies, academia, and policymakers to rebuild the talent pipeline through education, cultural change and evolution of industry perceptions.
“Mining offers the engineering challenge of a lifetime,” Mr. Björn Axelsson, Executive Vice President and Head of HR at Sandvik Group, added. “The electrification of society will be powered by minerals, but it will be led by the next generation of minds bold enough to transform how we mine.”
The full_report The future of mining talent: What STEM graduates really think, and what the industry can do about it, is available at www.home.sandvik
For further information, contact
Mr. Edvard Bergström – VP Corporate Communications – Sandvik
Phone: +46 (0) 70993 8311
(or)
Mr. Johannes Hellström, – Press and Media Relations Manager – Sandvik
Phone: +46 (0) 70721 1008
About Sandvik Group
Sandvik is a global, high-tech engineering group providing solutions that enhance productivity, profitability and sustainability for the manufacturing, mining and infrastructure industries. We are at the forefront of digitalization and focus on optimizing our customers’ processes. Our world-leading offering includes equipment, tools, services and digital solutions for machining, mining, rock excavation and rock processing. In 2024 the Group had approximately 41,000 employees and revenues of about SEK 123 billion in more than 150 countries.
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Connect with Ms. Arkita Seth (Phone : +919632 741419) Sandvik spokesperson for deeper insights or comments on how these trends apply to India and the region.
