Tom Savage (MEng Mining Engineering, 2021)
Senior Mining Engineer at Larvotto Resources, New South Wales
At school, I loved Geology. I had a great teacher who made the subject fascinating, and that interest naturally led me towards geological engineering when I started looking at university courses. During a visit to Camborne School of Mines (CSM), I had the chance to go underground into the test mine, and that experience completely changed my perspective. Until then, I hadn’t really considered mining as a career path, but seeing it firsthand opened my eyes to the possibilities.
What I enjoyed most about the MEng Mining Engineering course was how practical everything felt. Rather than learning theory for theory’s sake, we were applying concepts to real-world mining scenarios. The programme brought together maths, physics, mine design and engineering principles in a way that made sense. You could always see how what you were learning would be used in industry. The lecturers were also really passionate about the subject, which made a huge difference, and many of the concepts and techniques I learned at CSM are still things I use today.
One of the biggest strengths of the programme was that it covered a broad range of areas. From mine design software and planning tools to risk management and safety principles, the skills I developed at university became the building blocks for everything that followed.
During my studies, I completed a placement with Glencore in Mount Isa, Australia, through a scholarship programme I successfully applied for. It was a great experience and I was fortunate enough to receive a job offer afterwards.
Then COVID happened.
The borders closed and my plans to move to Australia were put on hold. Instead, I stayed in the UK and completed an additional year, graduating with an MEng. Then initially after graduation I worked with Global Mine Design, contributing to a mining project in Spain and gaining experience on a feasibility study, which is an opportunity many graduates don’t get so early in their careers.
Then once the borders reopened, I finally made the move to Australia and joined Glencore as a Graduate Mining Engineer in Mount Isa.
From there, my career progressed quickly. I worked across different engineering and operational roles, moving through graduate positions into operational engineering and eventually into mine planning and scheduling.
Today, I work as a Senior Mine Planning and Scheduling Engineer for Larvotto Resources at the Hillgrove Mine in New South Wales.
The role involves designing mine plans from geological models, developing schedules, supporting underground operations and helping guide key decisions that influence production. Because we’re working on the restart of an historic mine, there’s a huge amount of variety and responsibility. Every day presents a new challenge, and being involved in the development of a growing operation has been incredibly rewarding.
The knowledge and skills I gained at CSM definitely gave me a significant head start at the beginning of my career. When you arrive on site, there is still a lot to learn, because every operation is different, but I had a good foundation to start from.
The software training was particularly valuable. Learning industry-standard mine planning packages before graduating meant I arrived in Australia with skills that many other graduates didn’t have. In some cases, I was already comfortable using tools that even experienced engineers were still learning.
Beyond the technical skills, the course gave me problem-solving abilities, presentation skills, risk assessment knowledge and a strong understanding of mine safety, all of which are essential in modern mining operations.
One of the biggest reasons I’d encourage students to consider mining engineering is the sheer range of opportunities available. Mining is a global industry, and skilled engineers are in demand around the world. Australia in particular offers significant opportunities for graduates, with huge demand for mining professionals and clear pathways for career progression.
There is also a genuine skills shortage across the industry. Companies are actively looking for capable engineers who can solve problems, think analytically and adapt to new challenges.
For anyone who enjoys maths, engineering, problem-solving and the idea of working in different parts of the world, mining engineering offers an exciting and rewarding career path.
