Underground production and development miners operate drilling/mining machines, load/detonate explosives as well as perform other activities in underground mining.

In general, you usually need a high school diploma. In some cases, appropriate experience may replace formal educational requirements.

You usually need industry or college courses or supervised on-the-job training/experience in a subordinate position, such as mine labourer or rig crew member.

To be an underground production and development miner, you often need company licensing or certification, and you may need a blasting licence in the province/territory where you'll work.

You may also need a provincial blaster licence, seismic blaster, and oil well blaster certification for well perforation services. You may also need a college diploma in drilling or electronic engineering technology.
You may obtain certification in underground hard rock mining in Ontario and in Quebec and Manitoba for miners.

Most recent entrants have a high school diploma, and almost 1 in 4 has a trade/vocational certificate or community college diploma.