Dan Moss
Nevada Gold Mines
Elko, NV USA
"If you work hard and you have integrity in what you’re doing, you can go far in any industry."
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Dan's work combines: Engineering, Environment & Nature, and Accomplishing Goals
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Day In The Life
Skills &
Education
Advice for getting started
I went to work after high school because I knew college wasn't for me. Now, I work with a lot of college graduates and occasionally feel like I stand out because there's a large perception that you need a degree. That's a good path for many people but not for me. It was just about knowing myself and what was right for me. Fortunately, my parents knew me too and didn't pressure me. I took the longer route, but it worked out. I found a career and have done well for myself without a degree.
Here's the path I took:
High School
Life & Career Milestones
My path in life has been direct
1.
I grew up in a small mining and ranching town in Nevada, where I gained a lot of experience working and handling equipment.
2.
I played three sports in high school and worked a full-time job in order to support those sports.
3.
Rather than going straight to college, I knew I wanted to work and make money after graduating high school.
4.
I took a job working in exploration drilling in Alaska for about six months because it was the best financial opportunity at the time.
5.
When I came back to Nevada, I started drilling for a small blasting company—however, the company moved around a lot and I knew I wanted something a bit more stable.
6.
I was able to get a job with the Nevada Gold Mines as an equipment operator driving the haul trucks.
7.
After working for a while, I got the opportunity to move into the drilling and blasting side of mining—I was only 21 years old, which is actually the youngest age at which you can handle explosives!
8.
Since starting at Nevada Gold Mines, I’ve driven haul trucks, worked in the blasting department, moved up to lead blaster and relief supervisor, and now work on planning in the engineering department.
Defining Moments
How I responded to discouragement
THE NOISE
Messages from Society in general:
You should get a college degree.
How I responded:
I went to work after high school because I knew college wasn't for me. Now, I work with a lot of college graduates and occasionally feel like I stand out because there's a large perception that you need a degree. That's a good path for many people but not for me. It was just about knowing myself and what was right for me. Fortunately, my parents knew me too and didn't pressure me. I took the longer route, but it worked out. I found a career and have done well for myself without a degree.
Experiences and challenges that shaped me
I worked full-time in high school to support the three sports that I played. We also lived 56 miles outside of town, so I missed out on a lot of family time because I was in town for sports.
I moved to Alaska to work straight out of high school. It was a great opportunity, but I did struggle with homesickness and being away from my parents so young.
There's a significant age gap between me and the kids that come into engineering with a college degree. I feel like I stand out but I also know that I bring a lot of valuable experience to the table.