STOCKHOLM, Nov. 12, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — 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 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,” 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 or https://www.fastcompany.com/91421263/shaping-the-mine-of-the-future-the-engineering-challenge-of-a-lifetime.
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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