More than 150 students have successfully completed their two-year long coursework qualifying them to hold mining jobs in Saudi Arabia. As part of the program students were trained in both theoretical and technical programs at the world class training centre, Saudi Mining Polytechnic, established by Ma’aden.
The picture shows students and faculty posing with Ali bin Ibrahim Al-Naimi, Saudi Minister of Petroleum and Mineral Resources, Engr. Abdullah Bin Saif Al-Saif, Chairman of Board of Directors, Ali Al-Ghafis, Governor of the Technical and Vocational Training Corporation (TVTC) and Engr. Khalid bin Saleh Al-Mudaifer, President and CEO of Saudi Arabian Mining Company (Ma’aden) in the simulation training facility.
The training centre includes a facility with Immersive Technologies’ simulators where students are able to train on underground and surface heavy mining equipment. Courses in the training centre allow for students to observe classmates and review their own simulation sessions while instructors can manage and run reports through a centralised control station.
“The simulation training has transferred their job speciality theoretical expertise to practical field applications and provided them with realtime work environment variables and emergencies,” says Eid Alanazi, Managing Director of Saudi Mining Polytechnic.
The training centre will develop a trained and qualified Saudi national workforce, capable of supporting the mining industry needs Kingdom-wide.
“Our graduates have developed self-confidence and situational decision making capability, enhanced their job safety requirements comprehension and reactions, improved their attitude and capacity to handling real machinery, technical terminology and best field practices as well as elevated their team spirit, integrity, cooperation and core values on the job,” Alanazi says.
Saudi Mining Polytechnic originally introduced simulation based training in 2013 with the largest mining simulation investment in history delivered by Immersive Technologies. Saudi Mining Polytechnic is usng Immersive Technologies simulators to address one of the biggest challenges faced by the Kingdom – developing a skilled workforce to support the expansion of mining. The investment included seven Advanced Equipment Simulators and 18 simulator modules (Conversion Kits®) for both surface and underground mining.
The students have now begun work at national surface and underground mines, as well as process plant operations, after completing requirements qualifying them to hold the jobs for which they were trained.
