After years of decline, Western Australia is experience a boom in jobs being advertised for mining engineers - almost twice as many openings today than during the same time last year. 

"In April 2017 there were more vacancies recorded for mining engineers than any other occupation in WA," said the latest Engineering Vacancies report from Engineers Australia, which analyzes commonwealth employment figures.  The group says only 101 vacancies were recorded for the month of April 2016 - a decade low point for engineering mining jobs.  April 2017 showed 188 openings.

It's an improvement, but this is a far cry from the glory days of of 2008 and 2012.

"At its peak in August 2012 there were 1,123 vacancies recorded for mining engineers," said Engineers Australia general manager WA Susan Kreemer Pickford on an interview with the ABC.  "Between August 2012 and August 2013 mining vacancy numbers fell dramatically from 1,123 to 335."

But an increase in investment in the sector could lead to even more opening in the future.

Alrighty then

"You're seeing quite a bit of activity in the merger and acquisitions phase, particularly in the situation of gold, where again you're seeing companies buy into smaller operations to get them through the development phase and up and into production," said Simon Bennison, chief executive of the Association of Mining and Exploration Companies.  "I think that's creating opportunities for mining engineers and the other occupations like mining managers and so forth, that are associated with that transitional phase into production."