Assessing Peruvian University Students’ Preferences for Labor Conditions in Mining Site

Abstract

The mining industry is one of the biggest industries and has a strong impact in Peru. Despite the mining industry’s importance, it faces labor shortages and environmental risks. For these situations, mining students are important sources of workers not only as labor forces but also as skilled workers who can contribute to solving the environmental issues of mining companies. Thus, the purpose of this paper is to assess Peruvian university mining students’ preferences for labor conditions in mining sites using a discrete choice experiment in order to promote efficient improvements in labor conditions in mining sites that contribute to stable employment and address environmental concerns. The number of respondents was 222 in two Peruvian universities, including males and females aged 16–35 years. The analysis’s findings indicate that labor conditions at mining sites can be optimized by adjusting them to specific individual characteristics of potential mining workers, resulting in a more efficient working environment for companies and workers.