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RII50620 Diploma of Drilling Operations

RII50620 is the nationally recognised Diploma behind mine deputy work. It has been the current version on the national register since 2020, when it replaced RII50615. About 580 mine deputy jobs were advertised in June 2026, up 4.4% on a year earlier.

Register data synced 29 Aug 2026 from training.gov.au
Online job ads · June 2026
580last month
Mine deputy roles advertised across Australia
Holding close to last year's level
Long-term outlook
Positive
Three signals positive
Register status
Current
Replaced RII50615 in 2020
Enrolments
Rising
Up 5.9% in a year
Funding status
Verification pending
Checked against official state program lists
The short answer

Several independent signals line up behind this qualification. Specifically: its main occupation is rated in national shortage, employment in its occupations is projected to grow through 2035 and national enrolments are rising. These are official statistics, not a promise about any individual's result.

Jobs and Skills Australia

Is the work there?

Employer demand for these roles is holding steady. Across Mine Deputy, about 580 jobs were advertised online in June 2026 (up 4.4% on a year earlier). Roughly 6,854 openings were advertised over the last 12 months, while 90 people enrolled in the qualification nationally in 2024. Enrolment counts people in training, not completions, so the two figures describe the pipeline and the market, not a job guarantee.

Jobs and Skills Australia, Internet Vacancy Index · latest month June 2026 · ANZSCO 3129
580
Combined monthly online job ads across Mine Deputy, to June 2026

Official shortage list

At least one occupation this qualification leads to is officially rated as in national shortage. In the 2025 Occupation Shortage List assessment, Metallurgical or Materials Technician is rated in national shortage; Maintenance Planner, Mine Deputy, Other Draftsperson and Building and Engineering Technicians nec are rated not in shortage.

Jobs and Skills Australia, Occupation Shortage List · 2025 assessment

Ten year outlook

Employment in these occupations is projected to grow. Government projections put them at 39,400 workers in May 2025, 41,900 by May 2030 (up 6.4%) and 44,000 by May 2035 (up 11.7%).

39,364
workers, May 2025
41,886
workers, May 2030
43,950
workers, May 2035
Jobs and Skills Australia employment projections · May 2025 to May 2035
Occupation mapping by Get Course, shown with ANZSCO codes so it can be checked.
NCVER Total VET Activity

Who is training

Enrolments in this qualification are growing. National enrolments rose from 85 in 2023, to 90 in 2024 (up 5.9%).

NCVER Total VET Activity · 2024 collection
training.gov.au · Australian Qualifications Framework

What does studying it involve?

The register and the national framework set some of this. Providers set the rest.

How long it takes
A Diploma is typically 1 to 2 years of full-time study under the Australian Qualifications Framework. Providers set the exact length and pace.
Delivery
Providers set the delivery mode.
Credit for experience
Recognition of prior learning applies to RII50620 like any qualification on the national register: an approved provider assesses your evidence against each unit.
training.gov.au national register; Australian Qualifications Framework.
State subsidised training lists

What does it cost, and who funds it?

State funding for RII50620 is being verified against official program lists.

Eligibility and student contributions vary by program and provider. The official state listing is the source of truth. In a subsidised place the government pays most of the tuition and you pay a co-contribution set by the program and provider.

Official state subsidised training program lists, verified per state. Full-fee prices will appear here as partner courses are listed.
Where to study

Where can I study RII50620?

No Get Course partner currently lists this qualification. Check the national register for organisations approved to deliver it, and remember that approval to deliver is a regulatory fact, not a recommendation. You can browse live courses from our partners and enquire today.

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How we calculate these figures

Get Course maps RII50620 to its occupations using the register’s own outcome wording, shown with ANZSCO codes (here, 3129) so the mapping can be checked. Job advertisement counts come from the Jobs and Skills Australia Internet Vacancy Index and count online ads, not vacancies filled. Enrolment counts come from NCVER Total VET Activity and count people in training, not completions. Outcome benchmarks marked “typical” are medians computed by Get Course across all qualifications at the same level in the same NCVER collection; they are derived figures, not official NCVER benchmarks. Funding rows appear only after verification against the official state program list. Source vintages: NCVER Total VET Activity 2024 collection; register training.gov.au, synced 24 August 2026; Jobs and Skills Australia Internet Vacancy Index latest month June 2026; Occupation Shortage List 2025 assessment; employment projections May 2025 to May 2035 release; register synced 29 Aug 2026. Page last updated 30 Aug 2026.

About this page. Every number on this page shows its source and date. Register data synced 29 Aug 2026 from training.gov.au. Compiled by Get Course from public data sources. It is not provided or endorsed by any training organisation, and nothing here is advice about your individual situation. Statistics describe groups; your result depends on you. If you represent a training organisation and want to correct or add to this page, contact hello@getcourse.com.au.