From AI to advanced analytics, digital transformation in mining is accelerating. But at AVEVA Day 2025 in Perth, one thing became clear: transformation isn’t just about adopting new technologies. It’s about preparing the workforce that will use them.
Across panels and discussions, speakers shared a recurring theme: the real shift isn’t in what tools we’re using – it’s in who is using them, how, and why.
This aligns closely with what we’ve explored in our article on the human–automation balance. The future of operational excellence isn’t machine-driven. It’s human-enabled.
Mining’s new workforce: faster, smarter – and different
New graduates entering the industry are arriving with more technical knowledge than ever before. They’re comfortable with data, automation and AI. They’ve grown up with digital tools, and they’re passionate about making a difference – particularly in areas like sustainability and decarbonisation.
But digital fluency doesn’t always mean operational intuition. In fact, several AVEVA Day panellists pointed out that while the new generation picks up knowledge fast, they can sometimes miss the critical thinking piece – the “why” behind decisions that more experienced engineers had to learn through context and consequence.
The challenge? Ensuring that digital confidence doesn’t come at the expense of operational understanding.
It’s a challenge that isn’t unique to Australia. Delegates from overseas echoed the same concern – not just about capability gaps, but about bandwidth. Many operations simply don’t have enough in-house people with the digital know-how to implement and manage new systems effectively. As a result, there’s growing demand for capable systems integrators (SIs) to step in and guide the process.
Where experience meets innovation
As Brandon Yong from Alinta Energy put it: the key is intentional collaboration. That means building systems and cultures where seasoned engineers can share their knowledge, and new team members can contribute fresh thinking – without reinventing the wheel.
It’s not about tradition vs innovation. It’s about pairing depth with agility. And that doesn’t happen automatically.
At Mipac, we’ve seen first-hand how intentional design – of systems, processes and teams – creates space for that knowledge transfer. With the right structure, automation and analytics don’t replace people. They empower them.
Tech needs trust – and time to think
Another strong message from AVEVA Day was that while digital tools can free up time, they don’t necessarily create free time. Instead, that time is best used for the kind of big-picture thinking machines can’t do – root cause analysis, scenario planning and ‘what-if’ thinking.
But for that to happen, two things need to be true:
- Teams need to trust the data they’re working with
- They need to understand the value of the technology
That’s not a technical challenge – it’s a cultural one. Transformation efforts often stumble not because the tech doesn’t work, but because people don’t understand why they’re being asked to change.
Trust begins with the data itself. Without a single source of truth, teams will always question the numbers – and hesitate to act. AVEVA Day speakers reinforced this point: when data comes from multiple, disconnected sources, it’s hard for operators to believe in it, let alone base critical decisions on it.
And it’s not just about core platforms. The digital landscape is evolving quickly, with a growing ecosystem of bolt-on applications enhancing the capabilities of systems like AVEVA Pi. That adds flexibility – but also complexity. Engineers need both time and support to stay across the options and make them work in context.
Bringing people on the journey – from leadership to site teams – matters just as much as selecting the right digital tools. Maybe more.
The future isn’t fully automated. It’s fully enabled.
At Mipac, we help mining operations unlock the potential of digital transformation by building bridges between technology and people. Because it’s not enough to automate a process – you need to understand the ecosystem it operates in, the decisions behind it and the people running it.
Digital transformation is a journey, not a switch. And as AVEVA Day reminded us, the most successful operators won’t just have the best tools – they’ll have the best-prepared people using them.
Want to go deeper?
Our new whitepaper on digital transformation in mining explores how to start – and scale – your digital transformation journey, with a focus on practical implementation and long-term value.
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