The National Centre for Vocational Education Research's "Industry and Training 2007" report showed the extent to which the minerals industry privately funds and conducts training for its employees.

The MCA said the degree to which the mining industry takes training upon itself was partially due to the "systemic inadequacies in the government training system, especially in remote and regional parts of Australia".

“The study confirms the industry’s pre-eminent place as an investor in vocational education and training,” chief executive Mitchell Hooke said.

“But at the same time, the industry needs the Federal and State governments to step up to the plate and ensure that training systems are reformed to meet the needs of the fastest growing industry in Australia – the minerals industry.

“We need a vocational education system that is suitably resourced, flexible, market-driven and responsive to needs in regional and remote areas of Australia.”

The report showed a massive 96% of all employers actively engaging their employees in training every year; a highly skilled mining workforce with 28% of employees who have Certificate III or IV qualifications; and that mining industry employers spend 2.3% of gross wages or $A1643 per employee on training per year.

Compared with other industries the report indicated mining industry employees are younger than the average workforce; female employment in the industry had grown to 15%; and mining industry employees are marginally more mobile than the national average, with 28% in their current job for less than a year.