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Earth resources

The earth resources sector, encompassing extractive industries are of fundamental value to society, and the economy. This sector includes roles which extend beyond the extraction of oil and gas, such as engineering geologists working in industries of construction and utilities.

The earth resources sector has recently experienced market volatility due to wars and changes in consumer behaviours as marked by a societal shift towards sustainability. In March 2023, the International Energy Agency (IEA) reported natural gas demand fell by fifty-five billion cubic metres, and yet conversely in March 2023 the IEA Oil Market Report reports world oil demand is set to increase over 2023. However, the sector remains buoyant with extraction of materials for use in carbon reduction technologies: cobalt, lithium, aluminium required for batteries; silicon and tin for electronics. In 2020 the World Bank Group report “Minerals for Climate Change” assessed extraction of minerals, such as graphite, lithium and cobalt, could increase by nearly 500% by 2050 with increased production in India and Nigeria. It is useful to note an overlap with the sector of energy and natural resources, as illustrated by the British Geological Society which has mapped in Geoscience for the Future how occupational roles within Earth Sciences align with UN sustainability goals of 1, 2, 7, 8, 11, 12, and 13.

Sector overview and areas of work

Sector careers advice

For sector statistics and information, please visit the Mining Industry Report and/or the Energy, Oil and Utilities Report on My Career Zone Digital.

Information, sector news and links from professional bodies

If you have studied a related degree, check if your course is accredited by one of the professional bodies. Being a member of a professional body is voluntary, however it can be valuable for developing networks, continuing your professional development, and generally keeping up to date with what's happening in the sector. Professionalism is incredibly important within the earth resources sector to ensure that organisations and individuals conduct themselves appropriately.  Therefore, professional memberships are actively encouraged. 

Making contacts

Making contacts is essential for success in this and other sectors. Many jobs in this field come through networking and speculative applications. You could start by speaking with the experts – find out what they did after graduation and contact them for advice using the Career Mentor Scheme or Ask An Alum.  

Events

Events on campus are a great way to develop relationships with people who can help you towards professional work.  Consider attending the Careers fairs as well as events which put students in touch with employers.  You can find and book onto these via Handshake.  

Job roles

There are a wide range of roles in the earth resources sector. Explore roles in the sector by visiting the job profiles below. Each profile covers typical duties and responsibilities, entry requirements and the key skills required for the position.

The following is not an exhaustive list but is indicative of the range of occupations and industries in earth resources:

Many of our graduates have progressed to companies such as Balfour Beaty, Barminco, Debswana Diamond Company, Glencore, Southwest Water, and Northern Star Resources Limited; these employers are a sample of some of our graduate destinations.

Recruitment fairs, open days, talks, and events give insights and opportunities to make contacts. For details of future events visit Handshake. If you have not yet activated your account, select the Single Sign On (SSO) option and follow the onscreen instructions.

Work experience and placements

Skills and qualities employers look for:

It is expected that candidates for jobs in this sector will be equipped with specialist technical knowledge gained through study and field work for example; engineering, geology, chemistry and environmental science.  However, employers in this sector are also looking for candidates who can offer a range of softer skills.  Key to success is the ability to work with others in teams and those with cultural agility and leadership skills will be well equipped to work globally. Software skills are important alongside attention to detail and the ability to solve problems. 

As well as skills, some roles can involve working in remote locations and spending long periods of time away from home.  For this reason, it’s important to demonstrate you understand the physical, mental and emotional requirements for a job and your ability to cope. 

Where getting a graduate role is competitive, undertaking relevant work experience will not only make your applications stand out, but it will also allow you to develop new skills and gain a valuable insight into the sector.

University of Exeter Employability Schemes

  • Career Zone Internship schemes: Internships can be extremely useful, so try and secure relevant vacation work or placements.  
  • Ask an Alum: A fuss-free way to connect with University of Exeter alumni to ask careers questions.  
  • Career Mentor Scheme: A popular employability scheme which matches a student or graduate with an experienced professional, for sector insight and one-to-one careers advice and guidance, over a six months period. 
  • Green Consultants: An award-winning programme comprising of training and work experience in the environment and sustainability sector which can equip progression into retail management as many retailers are increasingly conscious of sustainable practices.

Finding work experience and Internships

Former students have found work experience and internship opportunities with the following employers:

Opportunities are also advertised by companies themselves, directly to students via events such as Careers Fairs.  You can also find lists of organisations in the industry through the Graduate jobs and schemes sections below.

Graduate jobs and schemes

Competition for certain roles is strong with an increasing number of countries improving their education and training within the industry. This means students and graduates will need to work harder to compete for jobs. There are many global opportunities available for those who are keen to work internationally. It is a competitive field, especially for entry-level positions. Use the following resources to find advertised vacancies and research employers.

  • Allen & York - recruitment agency for environmental jobs including geotechnical and energy related positions.
  • Careermine – platform listing opportunities in the mining industry.
  • Earth Works– job site listing opportunities across the earth sciences sector.
  • Geoscience Jobs – job site arm of The Geological Society.
  • Gradcracker–platform promotion graduate jobs, schemes and internships in STEM.
  • Jobs for mining – platform listing opportunities in the mining industry.
  • New Civil Engineering Careers – job platform aggregator promoting opportunities in engineering.
  • Rigzone – platform listing job opportunities in hydrocarbon industries.
  • Waterjobs- job board for jobs within the water industry.
  • Association of Geotechnical and Geoenvironmental Engineers: https://www.ags.org.uk/
  • You can also find opportunities by searching for job titles on the more generic boards such as Adzuna, Careerjet, Glassdoor, Indeed, JobisJob, Trovit
  • Linked in useful for developing your network, finding opportunities and also reading up to date industry news and articles
  • Geoplacer Placing geologists into the oil and gas industry
  • InfoMine – Mining focussed
  • Seek (Australia) – Mining and geology jobs based in Australia
  • Earthworks – jobs across all areas of the earth resources sector
  • Geological Society
  • Geology.com
  • Jobs.ac.uk for jobs in universities
  • Geo Engineer roles focussing on geo-engineering across a range of fields

For general information about finding graduate opportunities, please visit our Graduate Jobs page, and for a list of general job search engines please visit our general job sources page. You could also have a look at Handshake, our vacancy database with employers who are targeting University of Exeter students.

Graduate schemes

Geology.com has a brilliant and very full list of employers operating in different fields of work.

In the past our graduates have gone on to work for the following companies (n.b. this is not an exhaustive list!) and there are many graduate schemes in this sector.  Once you have focussed on your chosen route, you can then seek out opportunities within organisations in that field of work.

As jobs are not always advertised, it can be useful to develop your networking skills and apply speculatively. Before visiting the sites below you may find it useful to read our Researching employers page.

Further sources of support

For further advice on finding graduate opportunities, visit at our Finding a graduate job page.

If you are an international student, visit our international webpages for help finding opportunities both in the UK and globally.

To find opportunities outside the UK use GoinGlobal. Log in using your university email address. The worldwide country guides cover everything from job search resources and CV guidelines to cultural advice and visa information. Watch a short training video on how to get the most from GoinGlobal (4 minutes 20 seconds).

Further study and professional development

Some individuals decide to undertake further study to build their skills and knowledge of the sector. Not all roles or employers will require this, so it is important to research entry requirements and employer preferences before committing to additional training or qualifications. You may have the option to gain professional qualifications after graduating which will show your commitment towards the industry. Use the sites below to research your further study options.

If you would like to pursue postgraduate study before entering your chosen sector, please visit our Postgraduate Study page for more information about choosing further study. If you are unsure whether further study is for you, you may wish to attend our ‘Postgraduate study: is it right for you?’ session which runs termly. Find these advertised on Handshake.

We have a select number of programmes specifically designed for this sector; the following are examples: MSc Geotechnical Engineering, MSc Minerals Processing, MSc Mining Engineering, MSc Mining Geology, MSc Sustainable Engineering, MSc Water Engineering,

It can often be useful to gain postgraduate qualifications in the relevant subject area if your undergraduate degree is in a different topic but, beware, there are many courses on the market, and they are not all equally successful in securing your "dream job". You can always complement your degree with professional qualifications to show your commitment towards the industry such as an IOM3, Engineering Council accredited course. See the above Professional Bodies section for more information on applicable bodies.

Equality, diversity and inclusion

Many major graduate recruiters have policies and processes that are proactive in recruiting graduates from diverse backgrounds. To find out the policies and attitudes of employers that you are interested in, explore their equality and diversity policies, and see if they offer ‘Guaranteed Interview Schemes’ (for disabled applicants) or are recognised for their policy by such indicators as ‘Mindful Employer’ or as a ‘Stonewalls Diversity Champion’.

The UK law protects you from discrimination due to your age, gender, race, religion or beliefs, disability or sexual orientation. For further information on the Equality Act and to find out where and how you are protected, as well as information on what you need to do if you feel you have been discriminated against, visit the Government’s webpages on discrimination.

To learn more about how to share details of a disability with an employer and the support you can receive applying for jobs and work experience visit our equality and diversity page.