Before we talk about candidates we come out, sit down with your supervisors, your superintendent and your crew, and write up the sort of person who actually performs in your operation. That part costs you nothing.
Sixteen years on site is what turns an interview into an assessment. Every candidate is worked through the same form, and the marked copy goes to the client with the shortlist.
Ensure that all boxes are marked, e.g. for OK, concern found. Put NA as appropriate.
Will they pull up when something is not right, and will they still do it on nightshift with the shift behind and somebody chasing tonnes? We ask for the last time they actually stopped one. The ones who cannot think of an example usually never have.
Do they think in BCMs, cycle times and efficiency, or do they just show up and swing? We listen for the language of someone who cares about the number.
Equipment knowledge, prestart discipline, breakdown response. A qualified operator and a competent operator aren't the same thing. We know the difference.
Have they operated at your scale before? Someone stepping up from a 20-man quarry to a Tier 1 open cut needs more than a ticket. We assess readiness, not history.
A contractor operator doesn't always thrive in an owner-operator environment, and vice versa. We match people to the culture they'll perform best in.
Pride in the work. Crew minded. High personal standards. One bad hire can poison a crew. One great hire can lift it. We identify which one you're looking at.
A prestart MUST be completed before any candidate is put in front of you. NOTE: these are a minimum standard and do not override anything a specific site requires.
From placing the right candidate to getting under the bonnet of your operation, we offer a range of services designed around real mining environments.
End-to-end placement of production, maintenance, and supervisory roles across mining operations. Quality candidates, properly vetted.
Experienced relief supervision to keep your operation running when your permanent supervisors are unavailable. Seamless, trusted, on site.
Hands-on proficiency assessments and training for operators and crew. Real-world evaluation from someone who knows what good looks like.
Structured training and formal assessment services to bring your crew up to standard and ensure compliance with site requirements.
Operational and people consulting for mining businesses looking to improve performance, reduce turnover, and build stronger teams.
Workforce planning, performance frameworks, and people strategy tailored to the demands of the mining environment.
We come to you, and the first visit costs you nothing. We sit down with the supervisors, the superintendent and the manager, and we spend time with the crew. We walk the operation rather than read about it.
What you get out of it is a written assessment: how the place actually runs, what the crew is like, where the gaps are, and the sort of person who performs in an operation like yours.
It is free because it is how we work out whether we can help you. A recruiter who has never stood in your pit is guessing, and we would rather spend a day finding out than send you three people who do not fit.
Book a site visitAt FTG we believe in honest, transparent recruitment, and that starts with knowing what you're walking into. Our directory covers 539 Australian mine sites: locations, commodities, camps and rosters, with worker reviews on the way.
No sugar-coating, no sales pitch, the same straight answers we give our candidates.
Browse mine sitesRyan Johnsen started where most people in this industry start, behind the wheel of a truck. Over the years he worked his way through the full range of heavy equipment, from truck operator to grader, dozer, excavator and eventually the 9800, one of the largest machines on any Australian mine site.
That hands-on career led to becoming a qualified Trainer and Assessor, then a Production Supervisor managing large teams and multiple dig fleets. It was in that supervisory role that Ryan was exposed to the hiring and interview process, and what he saw frustrated him.
Recruitment had become a numbers game. Agencies were churning out high volumes of unsuitable candidates, hoping enough would stick to justify a placement fee. The client was an afterthought. The candidate was a commodity. And the industry kept paying for people who weren't right and didn't stay.
Ryan founded Frontline Talent Group to do it differently. Not more candidates. The right ones. Rigorously assessed, genuinely matched, and placed with the long term in mind. A recruitment company that actually puts the client first.
Started as a truck operator, worked up through grader, dozer and excavator to the 9800
Became a qualified Trainer and Assessor across heavy equipment
Production Supervisor, managing large teams and multiple dig fleets
Exposed to the recruitment process, and decided to fix it
Founded Frontline Talent Group in Mackay, Queensland
Pick the door that fits. Both go straight to us, and you'll hear back within one business day.
Tickets, experience, the roster that suits you. Ten minutes on your phone and you only do it once. Attach a resume if you've got one handy, a photo of it is fine, and it's not required.
Roles, headcount, roster, start date, and what your site insists on holding. That's a brief we can act on the same day, rather than a fortnight of back and forth.
Site assessment, training, or something that doesn't fit either box? Email admin@frontlinetalentgroup.com.au or call 0477 953 072.
Last updated August 2026
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Last updated August 2026 · ABN 87 817 337 865
Frontline Talent Group provides recruitment, relief supervision, proficiency training, training and assessment, consulting, and people and performance services. Specific services are agreed in writing prior to commencement.
All fees are agreed in writing prior to commencement and are exclusive of GST. Recruitment placement fees are payable within 14 days of the candidate's commencement date. Invoices not paid within agreed terms may result in suspension of services.
Permanent placements carry a 60-day replacement guarantee from commencement date. If a candidate leaves for reasons directly related to misrepresentation of skills, one replacement search will be conducted at no additional fee. The guarantee does not apply where the client's invoice is unpaid or where departure results from factors outside FTG's control.
Any candidate introduced by FTG remains subject to our placement fee for 12 months from introduction. If a client engages a candidate introduced by FTG through any other means within this period, the full placement fee is payable.
Both parties agree to keep confidential all information shared during the engagement. Confidentiality obligations survive termination for two years.
FTG's liability is limited to fees paid for the specific service in question. FTG is not liable for indirect or consequential losses.
These terms are governed by the laws of Queensland, Australia. Full terms available on request at admin@frontlinetalentgroup.com.au.