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Certificate III · national qualification

Certificate III in Surface Extraction Operations

This qualification is for people working in open cut mines and quarries, where the job is running the machinery that shifts rock and ore and keeping the site safe while it happens.

Compare 16 providers
Illustration of a person working as driller
How long it takes
1 to 2 years
typical for this level
How you can study
On the job
Main job
Driller
$151,200 median pay, In demand
Taught by
16 providers
Every state and territory

Is this course right for you?

What the Certificate III in Surface Extraction Operations asks of you, and what you might want to check first.

It helps to have

  • an interest in working outdoors with heavy machinery
  • a careful attitude to safety on a mine site
  • good communication skills with your crew
  • the willingness to solve problems as they come up

Before you start

The qualification has no set entry requirements, but each provider can add its own.

Certificate III or Certificate II?

Certificate III is the higher level. It reflects the role of individuals such as production operators who perform tasks involving a broad range of skilled applications in a varied work context, using some discretion and judgement in selecting equipment, services or contingency measures.

See the course

Where this course can take you

Jobs this qualification is a recognised route into, and the study that can follow it.

Jobs you can do with it

  • Driller

    Drillers run the rig and the crew that bores the holes used to find and extract minerals, oil, gas and water.

    What else you need

    Includes elective units in surface blast hole drilling, but which units are taken depends on the provider and your workplace. Site inductions and any licences or tickets required by the employer or state regulator are separate.

    Median pay$151,200

    In demand

If you study further

Pay is the median for everyone in the job, and “In demand” means the job is on the national shortage list.

Where you can study this course

There are 16 places you can study this course. When you compare them, check they teach it the way you want to study, how far you'd be from a campus, what it will cost you and what past students say about the teaching and support. They're listed by how often people search for them, and none of them pays to be here or to move up.

What you’ll learn

The main topics covered in the Certificate III in Surface Extraction Operations.

  • Open cut site safety
  • Operating extraction equipment
  • Haul truck and loader work
  • Reading mine plans
  • Dust and noise controls
  • Shift handovers and reporting

Questions to ask before you enrol

Providers run this course differently, so the answers change from one to the next.

  1. When is the next intake, and how many are there each year?
  2. What is the total cost, including materials, checks and any placement costs?
  3. Can I study part time or online, and how does that change the length?
  4. Do the units count towards a higher qualification if I go on to study further?

Questions people ask

Who is this qualification for?

It is for people working in open cut mines and quarries, operating machinery that shifts rock and ore and keeping the site safe. It suits someone already working on a mine site who wants their skills formally recognised, and it is also open to new starters with no prior experience. It leads to roles like driller, miner and shot firer.

Do I need experience or other qualifications first?

The qualification itself has no entry requirements. However, individual providers can set their own conditions, so check with the provider you choose.

How is it different from Certificate II in Surface Extraction Operations?

Certificate III is the higher level. It reflects the role of individuals such as production operators who perform tasks involving a broad range of skilled applications in a varied work context, using some discretion and judgement in selecting equipment, services or contingency measures.

Related courses

The national training register, training.gov.au. TAFE course pages, read 20 September 2026. Google reviews. Pay and shortage status from Jobs and Skills Australia.