HR Spotlight

Whether you are new to the mining industry or are an experienced worker, your education truly never stops. From the first time you enter a classroom to the day you retire, the skill set you have is always growing.

Helping to drive you and your cohorts forward are a number of programs being offered through Canada’s
post secondary institutions, which give their expertise to help the industry continue to flourish.

The right program
Education in mining, as is the case in most other industries, can come from a number of different means through varying deliveries. Between universities, career colleges, seminars and other education
opportunities, today’s workers can improve their skills while tomorrow’s job force can get unparalleled
opportunities through work placements and apprenticeships.

How a student receives his or her information is just as varied. While traditional programs that encompass
standard scholastic years of study are routinely offered by a number of postsecondary institutions across Canada, new opportunities are becoming available to the mining community through short sessions and virtual classrooms.

“There’s a diverse array of Internet courses, and then there are short courses over the summer,” says Malcolm Scoble, Head of the Mining Engineering Department at the University of
British Columbia.

The student body
One of the most intriguing parts of a mining class’s make-up is the variety of students that come into the course from different areas.

At UBC, Scoble, who also is a professor in his department, reports that there is a definite diversity in terms
of work and educational background. Scoble demonstrates this by using his own career as an accountant who now has been in the mining industry for 10 years as an example of who are coming into his classes. Coming into the sector, Scoble didn’t know about things like mine planning or stopes.

Scoble also acknowledges that many of his students are in the mining industry, but are looking to broaden the scope of their knowledge in what he describes as, “cross training.” He gives an example of a blaster who has worked his or her way up to being a superintendent, but now is looking to move into a management role. In this scenario, the student would be looking at mine financing and safety courses.

Not only are the work backgrounds of students varied, but so to are their physical origins. “We have at least 35 registered certificate students who are literally from all over the world, (from countries such as) Mexico, South America and Africa,” he says.

Others, Scoble remarks, will take short courses or attend seminars purely out of general interest in mining.

The future of mining education
Like so many other post-secondary curricula, the potential exists for one standard set of guidelines to be instituted for mining education across Canada. Already, outside organizations such as the Canadian Institute of Mining, Metallurgy and Petroleum are partnering with universities and colleges to help carry out industry seminars and other programs. Down the line, Scoble sees the potential for these campuses to
share courses, especially as the Internet becomes more prominent in Canadian programs.

Another area of importance for the future of education in mining is the need for targeted education to underrepresented members of Canada’s population. Specifically, Scoble notes that one of the focuses for educators is to create educational opportunities for Aboriginals.

“There’s a great need for mining to work with First Nations, and part of that can happen much better in the
future when First Nations themselves understand mining and participate more in mining,” Scoble says.

As mining education continues to grow, so to will the assurance that highly trained individuals will be working in the industry for years to come.