Since Yancoal downsized its workforce at the Austar Mine in late 2014, Mr Nolan has had a tough time finding a steady job. Some of his older former colleagues have found it impossible.

"They always say it's darkest before dawn," he said.

Mr Nolan, now 31, said he loved the job and had hoped to keep working as a coal miner until he reached retirement age.

"I don't think I'll work in the mining industry again," he said.

"It's been so difficult to find a steady job in the Hunter Valley. I moved to Brisbane in July to chase some construction work.

"I've been attending university to get more skills because sadly the skills of an underground coal miner don't translate too far in the rest of the economy."

Mr Nolan is now studying journalism at Griffith University in Brisbane, but is considering changing to human resources because of retrenchments across the media industry.

"Some of the other guys who were made redundant haven't worked since 2014," he said. "They are having a really tough time.

"Some of them have worked 30 years as coal miners and have families to support.

"There are a few electricians who lost their jobs who are now working at the mine as contractors for less pay and no job security."

Mr Nolan said he needed to delay starting a family because of his lack of full-time secure employment.

White collar worker Justin Smith, 54, has not worked since being retrenched from the Integra underground mine in the Hunter Valley in July 2014.

His qualifications as a registered mining surveyor are specialised for mining. "And regionally, mining is depressed," he said.

"I chose to retrain and completed a masters degree in employment relations in November last year and have been trying to find work in that new field."

The redundancy package he received and his partner's employment made it possible for him to study full time.

"I've had difficulty finding work particularly because of my age," he said. "I've been removing any references to age or dates of employment on my CV in order to secure interviews. I'm still hopeful I will secure a job in my new profession."

Catherine Bolger, director of the Collieries Staff and Officials Association which represents white-collar workers in the coal mining industry, said hundreds have been made redundant in recent years.

"White collar staff have had great difficulty finding another job in the mining industry as more mines close or downsize and available jobs simply evaporate," she said.

"Often highly qualified in mining, staff find themselves unemployed for years, as their specific mining skills are not valued as highly in other industries."

Mining regions like the Hunter also had a higher than average unemployment rate.

"The available jobs just aren't there," she said.