Yahoo News (via The Christian Science Monitor) has the scoop on coal mining careers:
When Joshua Hoffman’s parents, a computer scientist and law-enforcement officer, sent their son to the University of Missouri at Rolla (UMR), a coal mine was probably the last place they imagined higher education taking their son. Yet, as an explosives engineering major, Mr. Hoffman is now excited to don a hard hat and pursue the black rock.
OK. Technically, explosives engineering is a minor. But you can read the full story here.