Ross Smith, who went to work as a miner in Western Australia, says he paid off his student loan in just over 24 weeks armed only with a Bachelor of Communications – and a willingness to go digging.

He has written a guide book about his experiences and is selling them online to help other students get ahead in the Australian mining industry.

“There is a currently a mining boom in Australia. There is also a skills shortage to supply the new mines that are opening faster than they can be catered for,” said Smith. Having your accommodation and food paid for by the company is also a big help, Smith said, but he warns people looking to save money to stay away from the pubs.

He added that it isn’t easy to get into the mining industry without a trade or any experience, which he learnt from his own experiences applying the old adage “It’s not what you know, it’s who you know”.

This became the reason for creating the guide, which secured one person on Smith’s website – getajobinthemines.com – a job within five minutes.

Smith, who graduated in 2005 is now in Sweden on his O.E.