As mining exploration season kicks off across North America, HR leaders and operations managers face a familiar challenge: staffing up quickly to meet project timelines—without blowing the budget or risking safety compliance. Whether you’re expanding into new regions, ramping up for critical minerals exploration, or navigating labor shortages in remote areas, building a reliable and safety-conscious team is essential.
At TPD, a niche recruiting partner with 40+ years of mining staffing experience across Canada and the U.S., we’ve seen how strategic workforce planning makes or breaks the exploration season. Here’s how to scale up efficiently—while staying on time, on budget, and fully compliant with safety standards.
1. Understand Your Exploration Workforce Needs Early
The demand for geologists, drillers, field technicians, and environmental specialists surges during the spring and summer. Start workforce planning at least 60–90 days in advance to avoid last-minute hiring scrambles.
Key actions:
- Forecast needs by project phase: early-stage exploration, core sampling, permitting, etc.
- Use historical data to estimate team size and role types.
- Consider local vs. fly-in-fly-out (FIFO) hiring models.
2. Focus on Safety-Certified and Site-Ready Talent
Speed should never come at the expense of safety. Hiring pre-screened workers with valid certifications (e.g., WHMIS, H2S Alive, First Aid) and prior experience in exploration environments reduces onboarding time and mitigates site risk.
Bonus Tip:
Partner with a mining recruiting agency that offers safety and compliance vetting as part of their hiring process to save internal HR hours.
3. Tap Into Passive Talent With Relevant Experience
Most experienced exploration professionals aren’t actively job searching. Use targeted outreach and a strong EVP (Employer Value Proposition) to connect with passive candidates who have:
- Regional field knowledge
- Indigenous engagement experience
- Multi-site or cross-border compliance familiarity
A niche mining recruitment partner can help you access these hidden talent pools and reduce time-to-fill.
4. Balance Full-Time, Contract, and Temporary Roles
Exploration season is unpredictable. Flexible staffing models help you adapt to shifting timelines, budget constraints, and weather-related delays.
Consider:
- Temporary field techs during peak sample collection
- Contract geologists for specific phases
- Interns or co-op students for support roles
Using a blended workforce model keeps costs manageable while ensuring project continuity.
5. Prioritize Local and Indigenous Hiring
Local and Indigenous hiring is not only a key ESG metric—it can also significantly reduce costs related to travel, accommodations, and compliance.
Partner with a recruiting firm that:
- Has relationships with Indigenous communities
- Understands local labor laws and customs
- Can help develop inclusive hiring strategies
6. Streamline Onboarding and Site Deployment
When exploration begins, every day counts. Build or outsource an accelerated onboarding process that includes:
- Digital documentation & orientation
- Site-specific safety training
- Logistics (travel, accommodations, PPE)
Agencies like TPD offer turnkey deployment services to ensure your workers arrive trained, equipped, and ready.
Conclusion: The Right Talent, At the Right Time
Exploration success hinges on assembling the right team—quickly, safely, and cost-effectively. With over four decades of experience staffing for exploration projects across North America, TPD helps mining companies like yours:
Reduce time-to-hire
Minimize safety risks
Optimize workforce spend
Ready to staff up for exploration season?
Contact our mining recruitment team today to build your crew before summer hits.