Gold Fields is investing R26 million in an effort to address skills shortages in the South African mining industry. This amount will be spent on the mining engineering faculties at the University of Witwatersrand and the University of Johannesburg, with the aim of forging an alliance between the mining company and the universities. Nick Holland, CEO, said “We are pleased to be partnering with [the universities] to help ensure that we create a pipeline of qualified engineers who can benefit Gold Fields and the industry in general.”
The official handover ceremony was held at Wits University on Monday and was attended by the Department of Minerals and Resources Minister, Susan Shabangu. This comes amid a renewed sense of urgency amongst industry and government to address the lack of high level, scarce skills in South Africa. Only about 90 mining engineering students graduated country-wide last year from an initial intake of around 200 students four years earlier, according to Gold Fields. The slow supply of graduates is compounded by the departure of established mining engineers due to emigration and retirement. A recent survey by the Landelahni recruitment firm showed that South African mining engineers are in great demand across the globe and that only about 15% of them remain in the local industry for a long-term career.
Accordingly, the Department of Mineral Resources has identified skills development as one of the key issues affecting the mining sector’s global competitiveness. The department indicated that it intends to investigate the skills needs of the industry and to establish ways of facilitating skills development and the retention of skills in the industry.
Professor Loyiso Nongxa, Vice-Chancellor and Principal of the University of Witwatersrand added: “We are pleased to partner with Gold Fields on this project and are confident that this partnership will yield benefits for the development of our country and the continent.”
In terms of the sponsorship agreements, the universities will receive a one off capital injection of R8 million followed by R6 million/y for three years. In return, Gold Fields is afforded naming right status for the infrastructure that it sponsors as well as participation in advisory committees at the two universities.
Amongst others, the funds at Wits will be used for the expansion of the fourth quadrant of the Chamber of Mines Building which houses the Wits Faculty of Engineering; to equip a new 101-seater mining design laboratory; upgrading and new equipment for the Mining School’s main design laboratory; and, salaries of full-time senior tutors at the faculty.
The sponsorship is in addition to a range of other educational initiatives undertaken by Gold Fields. Last year, the company spent around R165 million on education in South Africa, including its Gold Fields Academy and on-mine training. Gold Fields also awarded 124 university bursaries, 378 technical learnerships and 40 post-graduate assignments in 2009.