How do you get experience when you don't have experience?

“How am I supposed to get experience when every job requires 5+ years of experience?” It’s a question we hear regularly from jobseekers — and honestly, it’s a fair one. If you are a newly qualified artisan, graduate, apprentice or someone trying to move into the mining and engineering industries, it can feel like you are stuck in a frustrating cycle:

You need experience to get a job, but you need a job to get experience.

The reality is that many specialised mining and engineering positions do require several years of experience. This is often because the work involves expensive equipment, complex processes, strict safety requirements and environments where mistakes can have serious consequences. But that doesn't mean you have to sit and wait for five years before you can build a career. The key is to start building relevant experience wherever you can.

When a vacancy asks for five years of experience, it doesn't necessarily mean that you need five years doing exactly the same job on exactly the same machine. Employers are often looking for evidence that you have:

• Worked in a real workplace environment
• Applied your technical knowledge
• Worked safely
• Used tools and equipment correctly
• Followed procedures
• Worked as part of a team
• Solved practical problems
• Taken responsibility for your work
• Worked under supervision and eventually with greater independence

Your challenge as a newcomer is to start collecting that evidence.

It's easy to focus exclusively on large mining houses and well-known engineering companies. But smaller contractors, workshops, maintenance companies and engineering businesses can provide valuable practical experience.

Imagine you're a newly qualified fitter and turner.

A small engineering workshop may give you exposure to:

• Measuring and fitting components
• Using workshop machinery
• Maintenance work
• Reading technical drawings
• Basic fabrication
• Troubleshooting
• Quality control

It might not have the name recognition of a major mining company, but after 12–24 months you may have considerably more practical experience to put on your CV.

Experience is experience — especially when you can clearly explain what you actually did.

Here's a practical example.

Suppose your long-term goal is to work as a heavy-duty diesel mechanic in mining. You may not be able to walk straight into a position maintaining underground mining equipment. Instead, look for opportunities that allow you to work with heavy vehicles, earthmoving equipment, agricultural machinery, construction equipment, commercial vehicles or industrial machinery.

The equipment won't necessarily be identical, but you can start developing transferable skills such as:

• Fault finding
• Preventative maintenance
• Hydraulic systems
• Electrical systems
• Engine diagnostics
• Component replacement
• Reading manuals and technical information
• Safe workshop practices

When that mining opportunity eventually comes along, you aren't starting from zero.

For someone entering the industry, an apprenticeship, learnership or workplace-based training programme can be one of the most valuable ways to gain practical exposure.

For example, a newly qualified or developing diesel mechanic may not immediately get a position requiring five years of experience maintaining heavy mining equipment.

But an opportunity where they assist experienced mechanics, perform inspections, carry out basic maintenance and learn workplace procedures can provide the foundation they need. The goal isn't necessarily to land your perfect position immediately. Your first job is often about getting your foot on the ladder.

Don't search only for your exact trade title.

A newly qualified electrician might search for:

Electrician

…but should also consider searches such as:

Electrical Assistant
Junior Electrician
Electrical Technician Assistant
Maintenance Assistant
Electrical Trainee

Similarly, someone interested in mechanical work could look at:

Mechanical Assistant
Junior Mechanical Technician
Maintenance Assistant
Workshop Assistant
Artisan Assistant

These positions can expose you to real workplace environments while you continue developing your skills.

A short-term contract might not be your dream job. Take it anyway if it gives you relevant experience, exposure and a chance to prove yourself. For example, a three-month maintenance shutdown could expose an artisan to a completely different working environment and provide experience working to strict deadlines and safety requirements. It can also introduce you to people in the industry.

The person you work alongside today could hear about a permanent position six months from now. Every job doesn't have to be permanent to be valuable.

Instead of focusing only on the experience you don't have, make a list of the experience you can get. If you're an aspiring instrumentation technician, for example, look for opportunities to gain exposure to:

• Calibration
• Sensors and transmitters
• Control systems
• Electrical testing
• PLCs
• Fault finding
• Preventative maintenance

If you're interested in mechanical engineering, look for exposure to:

• Maintenance
• Pumps
• Bearings
• Gearboxes
• Hydraulic systems
• Welding and fabrication
• Mechanical inspections

The more relevant skills you can build, the stronger your position becomes.

A common mistake among inexperienced jobseekers is writing a CV that focuses heavily on what they haven't done.

Don't simply say:

"I have no work experience."

Instead, show employers what you have learned and where you have applied it.

For example:

Instead of:

"Recently qualified diesel mechanic with no experience."

Try:

"Recently qualified diesel mechanic with practical training in preventative maintenance, fault finding, engine systems and workshop safety, seeking an opportunity to develop these skills in a commercial or mining environment."

Your CV should make it easy for a recruiter to understand what you bring to the table, even if your professional experience is still limited.

Your experience doesn't only come from a payslip.

Think about your apprenticeship, learnership, practical training, workshop projects and workplace exposure.

If you spent months working under supervision during your training, don't treat that experience as irrelevant.

For example, if you worked on equipment during your apprenticeship, be specific:

"Assisted qualified artisans with preventative maintenance and component replacement on heavy equipment."

is much more useful than:

"Completed practical training."

Give employers something they can understand.

If you're struggling to find your first position, use the time productively. Look at training that can complement your trade, such as:

• Occupational health and safety
• First Aid
• HIRA
• Basic firefighting
• Working at heights
• Technical software
• PLC training
• Hydraulics
• Pneumatics
• Equipment-specific training

Don't collect certificates simply to fill space on your CV.

Choose training that is relevant to the jobs you want.

This is where jobseekers need to be realistic. If a vacancy specifically requires 5+ years of experience, a newly qualified artisan probably isn't going to be the strongest candidate for that particular position. And that's okay.

Not every vacancy is meant for every stage of your career. The mistake is seeing one experienced position and deciding there are no opportunities available to you. Instead, look for the vacancies that match your current level and keep building towards the positions that currently seem out of reach. Five years from now, you want to be the person who does meet that requirement. Nobody starts with five years of experience. Experienced artisans were once apprentices. Supervisors were once juniors. Managers once had their first day on the job. Your first opportunity may not have the salary, title or location you ultimately want. But if it gives you real experience, useful skills and industry exposure, it can be the first step towards getting there.

So when you see: "5+ years' experience required" don't only think: "I can't apply." Think: "What can I do now to make sure I'm qualified for opportunities like this in the future?" Your first job doesn't have to be your dream job. It just needs to help you take the next step.