Tag Archives: mining careers

Komatsu opens A$6 milllion training centre to address WA skills shortage

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Komatsu has opened a new A$6 million ($4.1 million) state-of-the art training academy in Western Australia as part of the OEM’s plans to address a critical skills shortage in the state.

The opening of the training academy in the Perth suburb of Welshpool coincides with Komatsu doubling its annual investment in training to A$12 million dollars, it says.

Construction of the recently completed Perth training academy includes advanced workshop training rooms, a 30 t crane heavy lifting bay, and labs dedicated to hydraulics and electronics.

Regional General Manager, Glenn Swift, says the purpose-built facility is Komatsu’s response to a critical skills shortage, particularly in Western Australia’s resource sector.

“Skills and labour shortages are a significant challenge for the resource sector,” he said. “We need to invest in training and upskilling programs to ensure that our workforce is equipped with the necessary skills to meet the demand for these industries.”

Komatsu’s training centre offers both apprentice and post-trade technical training in mining and construction industry jobs with a focus on diesel mechanics, auto electricians and fabricators.

Company research shows upon completion of Komatsu’s apprenticeship program, Komatsu’s customer-facing employees will be approximately one year ahead of an equivalent conventionally-trained apprentice who has completed an apprenticeship outside of this system, it says.

This, the company says, is down to its training methods incorporating VR/AR and its highly proficient educators. Komatsu also recognises the importance of equipping apprentices with important life skills, such as mental health awareness, public speaking, road safety and fatigue management, drug and alcohol awareness, and a variety of business skillsets.

In addition, Komatsu maintains an 84% retention rate, far exceeding industry standards by up to 30%, it says.

Komatsu General Manager Training and Capability, Janine Gurney, says apprentices gain experience in next-generation technology including telemetry and driverless trucks as well as learning essential life skills.

“It’s about fitting into the broader company culture where we focus on safety, community, career progression and access to the latest technologies,” she said. “Our aim is that the apprenticeship is the first step in a lifelong career with us.”

Gurney said the company aims to train 600 apprentices by 2025.

Women filled nearly half of the 2023 intake of 75 places, and the 2024 intake will open in July.

Gurney said Komatsu is a pioneer of autonomous haulage systems, and a leader in smart construction via integrated technology as it builds a workforce of the future.

She concluded: “We want to help ordinary operators become fantastic operators so that when they are cutting or digging trenches, for example, their precision is to the exact millimetre and a lot of our current technology does this for them.”

Murray & Roberts Cementation adds trackless mining machinery to training options

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Murray & Roberts Cementation has further enhanced its training facilities in South Africa to develop scarce skills in modern underground mining.

The well-known Murray & Roberts Training Academy (MRTA) at Bentley Park near Carletonville, in Gauteng, now boasts a specialised Engineering Training Centre for trackless mining machinery (TMM).

According to Tony Pretorius, Education, Training and Development (ETD) Executive at Murray & Roberts Cementation, the centre will raise skills levels among operators, service staff, artisans and apprentices.

“As mining becomes more mechanised locally, it is vital that the mining sector keeps up with the technical demands to maintain and repair advanced underground machinery,” Pretorius said. “There are simply not enough suitably trained and experienced artisans to keep the growing number of TMMs well maintained and fully operational.”

He highlights that there is considerable value in upskilling TMM operators to better understand and correctly operate their machines, for instance. This could take some of the pressure off artisans while also ensuring more uptime between equipment servicing.

“Mines aim to raise productivity levels with mechanised mining machinery, and this comes with greater technical demands on mine production and support staff,” he says. “This training will equip artisans with specific skills in mechanised engineering, which are not currently part of the syllabus for conventional trades.”

The centre – which was constructed during the national COVID-19 lockdown at a cost of R1.8 million ($109,074) – includes a workshop, wash bay and refuelling bay with all the necessary tools and infrastructure. It offers training suitable for people undergoing a trade or having completed a trade, introducing them into the wider mechanised mining equipment engineering space, according to the company.

Pretorius notes that many people remain unemployed after completing their trades at an accredited trade centre; this new centre enhances their employability while filling an important need in the mining industry’s technology trajectory.

“Here at Bentley Park, we have workplace approval with the Mining Qualifications Authority, authorising us to offer practical training to those undergoing trade training who need workplace experience,” he says. “Our mechanised mining equipment engineering centre can address the workplace learning element of their trade certificate – phase two and phase four of their training.”

The focus is on underground mechanised equipment such as load haul dumpers (LHDs), roof bolters, drill rigs and utility vehicles. The training incorporates the MRTA’s leading-edge blended training methodologies including e-learning, virtual reality, simulation and workshop practical hands-on training.

“This gives our learners the knowledge, understanding and skills required in mechanised mining equipment engineering,” he says. “In addition to our own employees, we also provide training for the mining sector broadly, and can customise training for mining companies.”

The centre has already enrolled 19 apprentices in the mechanised mining equipment engineering training, and expects considerable interest from the mining industry as a whole. The MRTA is also working closely with the Mining Qualifications Authority to make the training available to qualified work-seekers.

eLearning on the up in South Africa mining sector, New Leaf Technologies says

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A Johannesburg-headquartered learning software and solutions company that specialises in the mining sector has seen growing momentum among large miners in South Africa to move away from traditional facilitator-led, ‘classroom’-style training in favour of eLearning programs that reduce costs and increase productivity.

This evolution is coming at the same time as the country’s mining industry is facing pressure to cut costs, increase productivity and remain viable, “let alone operate profitably”, Mike Hanley, Managing Director of New Leaf Technologies, the company in question, says.

Figures for the country’s production released last week by Statistics South Africa paint a grim picture of the local mining industry, New Leaf said.

Production output for the June quarter shrank by 73.1%, the third most affected by the global COVID-19 pandemic, after construction at 76.6% and manufacturing at 74.91%. This was already coming off a relatively low base – six months ago, Statistics South Africa released data on the performance of mining for 2019, showing that production was 1.3% lower than the year before.

These pressures are one of the reasons for the upturn in demand for eLearning programs, which can reduce costs and increase productivity, according to the company.

One of South Africa’s largest and foremost black-empowered resource companies, and a leading coal producer, recently signed up as an eLearning client. The world’s second-largest metals and mining corporation, and an independent global organisation of engineers and scientists consulting to the natural-resource industries, have also gone down the eLearning route.

“Cost savings are a major benefit for mining companies embarking on eLearning for their employees, as it does away with having to fly in, accommodate and pay a daily rate for training facilitators, eliminates the need for other non-essential training personnel, and reduces the amount of off-the-job time employees need for training,” New Leaf says. “For companies with several operations scattered around the country (or the continent, or even the world), ongoing consistency is ensured, with entire workforces trained using the same content at the same level.”

The training content, which can be designed and sent out through a central point, is “entertaining and captivating”, which leaves a memorable impression on the employee, according to New Leaf. “And eLearning systems have also helped mining companies to streamline their types of training and address skills gaps: eLearning is a great way of tracking employee training progress, as well as their experiences of what’s been taught, which in turn means that gaps can be quickly and efficiently addressed,” it said.

Hanly noted: “While mining is a highly mechanical process, it’s also been heavily impacted by global digitisation.”

New, sophisticated technology is transforming mining operations, which means that existing skill sets are continually needing to advance, with drill operators, blast hole engineers, etc being affected.

“For South Africa’s mining labour force to remain competitive internationally, the industry has to address these needs,” New Leaf said.

An additional complication is that only 14% of miners have a “post-matric qualification”, according to data released by the Mining Qualifications Authority (MQA) in South Africa. The education level among the 460,000 employed in the sector is also compromising its ability to mine more efficiently, compared with other key markets like Australia, Brazil, Canada and Chile, New Leaf claims. The MQA’s sector skills plan, released in 2018, revealed skills shortages and experience exist too, including those of mining managers, mining planners, and mining and rock engineers.

“The quality of courseware and how it’s shared through eLearning can address many of these skills gaps, and retain staff rather than lose them,” Hanly says.

New Leaf’s courseware is adapted to address specific challenges, with the imperative being on the eLearning provider to ensure the material is captivating and engaging, as well as meeting the educational needs of employees from a variety of demographics.

“Instructional design is important as a means of holding trainees’ attention while explaining sometimes difficult concepts,” Hanly says.

For this reason, the course material is normally multimedia in nature, combining words and graphics, ensuring it is engaging, memorable and stimulating. A combination of 3D modelling and animation, along with virtual reality and augmented reality material, is being increasingly integrated with course content.

Hanly added: “Courseware needs to grab attention, but also must be aligned with the company’s needs. It must stimulate prior knowledge and build on current skills levels. It needs to present information in a storytelling format, which may often involve gamification and interactive video. And it should be guiding in nature too, providing support to learners who may grapple with difficult concepts. To break the monotony, allowing learners to provide feedback is also a great way to retain their interest, and measure effectiveness.”

The courseware, which can be designed and scaled according to a company’s needs, can also be updated on an internet-based Learning Management System (LMS) licensed to a mining company and accessed by employees anywhere in the world, or an LMS system can be set up on a company’s premises and accessed remotely, provided the employee has a reasonable internet connection.

Hanly concluded: “We believe it’s only a matter of time before mining in South Africa becomes a champion for eLearning progression in this country.”

BHP and Curtin University to explore ‘environmental DNA’ in latest partnership

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Curtin University and BHP have joined forces in a new partnership to develop research and innovation projects and, Curtin says, support the higher education of emerging leaders.

BHP has committed to working side-by-side with Curtin to apply innovative thinking, world-class expertise and novel solutions to shape the future of the resources and energy sector and produce job-ready graduates to focus on some of the big challenges of the future, the university said.

One of the initial BHP-Curtin alliance projects involves five research studies that will use environmental DNA (eDNA) to help the preservation of species and conservation of important marine features.

Named the eDNA for Global Environment Studies (eDGES), the projects include research to improve monitoring of the endangered/rare Pilbara Olive Python and high-altitude wetlands of international importance in Chile, and develop new tests to detect invasive marine species relevant to closure of infrastructure in the marine environment.

Curtin University Vice-Chancellor Professor, Deborah Terry (pictured on the right with BHP Head of Corporate Affairs, Meath Hammond), said the wide-reaching partnership will deepen an already proven relationship.

“BHP has been a generous supporter of Curtin and Curtin students for more than a decade through a range of successful scholarship and partnership programs,” Professor Terry said. “This new BHP-Curtin alliance builds on that established mutual respect and shared commitment to innovation through collaboration.

“This partnership will allow industry to interact with students, researchers and academics to produce job-ready graduates. In partnership, we are committed to leading the world with our research and study programs to achieve sustainable, positive change across industries and sectors.”

She added: “Our researchers are already working to find solutions to our real world challenges. Our experts in science, engineering and data science are at the forefront of new materials, new manufacturing methods and artificial intelligence. It’s this expertise, innovative thinking and vision for the future that Curtin will bring to our alliance with BHP.”

BHP Acting Asset President Western Australia Iron Ore, Tim Day, said the company was looking forward to working closely with Curtin across a wide range of projects.

“We each have global footprints and proud histories of driving innovation and this partnership gives us both the opportunity to learn from each other to genuinely make an impact,” Day said.

“This is a great opportunity to advance technology together, as we look to the future of work.”

The scope of the BHP-Curtin alliance is broad and will also include scholarships and alumni programs, enabling programs to position BHP as an employer of choice and support access to education from remote areas, internships, work-integrated learning opportunities, professional development opportunities for BHP staff, as well as community programs and research initiatives focusing on mining modernisation, automation and sustainability, Curtin said.

PYBAR encourages next generation of miners with scholarship program

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PYBAR says it has introduced a new scholarship in partnership with the Curtin University Western Australian School of Mines (WASM) to support a full-time student doing a resource-related undergraduate degree.

The PYBAR Scholarship for Engineering Excellence will be offered to an eligible second-year student studying either a Bachelor of Engineering (Mining Engineering) or Bachelor of Science (Mining) delivered at the WASM campus in Kalgoorlie.

The scholarship is worth A$10,000/y ($5,761/y) over a maximum period of three years and will be awarded to a suitable applicant this year, the contract miner said.

The scholarship furthers PYBAR’s commitment to facilitating skills development and training in the mining sector, which has experienced a decline in the number of engineering students or graduates in recent years, it said. PYBAR has sponsored the WASM Graduates Association for the past four years, prior to converting to this new scholarship arrangement.

PYBAR Chief Executive Officer, Brendan Rouse, said: “This new scholarship forms part of our efforts to contribute to the long-term future of the mining industry in Australia.

“We believe we have a responsibility to nurture future generations of mining professionals and we take this very seriously. WASM has a strong reputation for excellence with many of its graduates employed in the Australian mining sector. We would like to give a deserving student a similar opportunity.”

PYBAR has several other skill development initiatives in place, including an active graduate program and annual vacation work opportunities for students at its various sites, it said. The new WASM scholarship enhances and supports these activities.

In 2019, PYBAR established the Australian Institute of Mining (AIM), a Registered Training Organisation (RTO) providing nationally-accredited training to support people and services improvement across the underground mining sector.

PYBAR addressing training needs in underground mining sector

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PYBAR says it has gained approval from the Australian Skills Quality Authority (ASQA) for its Registered Training Organisation (RTO), the Australian Institute of Mining (AIM).

AIM was established by PYBAR to address the need for quality, nationally recognised training for the underground mining sector.

AIM will facilitate Certificate II and III in Underground Metalliferous Mining programs as well as numerous short courses, providing significant opportunities for employees, and assisting PYBAR in achieving its goal of offering nationally recognised training for its workforce, the company said.

In addition to the RTO approval, AIM has gained approval from the New South Wales Resources Regulator to offer the one-day ‘Learning from disasters’ course which will be rolled out across NSW from January 2020.

The course, developed by the NSW Department of Planning, Industry and Environment, is designed for mine managers and supervisors, ensuring lessons from past mining disasters are learnt.

As part of the RTO application process, PYBAR conducted a complete review of existing training and assessment packages offered by its Safety, Health, Environment & Training (SHET) team and recommended updates to ensure these packages met the national framework requirements, it said.

In addition, PYBAR consulted with state governments and held discussions with the Tasmanian Government to reduce barriers to traineeships in the underground metalliferous mining sector, according to the company.

As a result, 52 workers from the Henty gold mine, in Tasmania (owned by Diversified Minerals, an associated company of PYBAR Mining Services), are already enrolled in the Certificate III program in Underground Metalliferous Mining.

PYBAR CEO, Brendan Rouse, said: “This approval is a significant step in enabling PYBAR to develop its workforce in line with national standards. It will also ensure that we are able to offer training that is current, relevant, and applicable immediately in the workplace across the full range of roles.”

He added: “The establishment of the Australian Institute of Mining forms part of our commitment to the long-term sustainability of our business, supported by our ability to offer ongoing professional development opportunities for our employees.”

PYBAR SHET Manager, Robert Paterson, said the company’s ability to offer a wide range of training, including the Certificate II and III programs, supported the development of its workforce as well as the regions in which we operate.”

Murray & Roberts Cementation expands Bentley Park training facilities

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Further enhancements at the Murray & Roberts Training Academy (MRTA) training facility, Bentley Park, in South Africa, are keeping the organisation at the top of its game in mining skills development, the company says.

The training infrastructure, near Carletonville in Gauteng, is constantly adding to its resources as the demand requires, according to Tony Pretorius, Education, Training and Development Executive at Murray & Roberts Cementation.

“Among our new facilities is an indexing wall on which drill rig operators can be trained to drill on a horizontal plane,” says Pretorius. “We are also constructing a new tunnel with a face wall on surface to teach miners how to take line and grade and accurately mark off a development end with laser technology.”

He highlighted the value of the MRTA’s ‘blended learning’ approach, which makes the learning process more effective by including not just classroom lectures but also e-learning, virtual reality, bench modelling, simulations and integrated learning in a workplace mock-up.

The facility prepares trainees mainly for the hard-rock underground mining environment, in which Murray & Roberts Cementation is a leading contractor.

Other recently developed mock-up facilities at the site include a board-and-pillar layout constructed on surface, to facilitate practical, supervised training for most primary and secondary trackless activities, and a figure-of-eight surface roadway for LHD driver training, complete with brake-test slopes. The fleet of trackless vehicles used for training at MRTA includes LHDs, a drill rig, a bolter, a telescopic boom handler, a mechanical scaler and a mechanised shotcreting unit.

“The quality of our skills output – combined with the ongoing demand for entry-level skills by Murray & Roberts Cementation’s mining projects around the country – allow us to turn training into jobs,” Pretorius says. “In fact, we are creating hundreds of career opportunities for unemployed youth from communities near our operations.”

With grant-funding from the Mining Qualifications Authority, MRTA will this year train 176 young jobless learners in basic mining-related skills, according to the company. Those who successfully complete the six-month program will earn a Level 2 National Certificate in Health, Safety and Environment for Mining and Minerals. Most trainees – of which half are women – are taken up by Murray & Roberts Cementation’s contract mining operations, to begin exciting careers in the mining industry, the company said.

Rio Tinto provides funding for Australia’s first automation course

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Rio Tinto has welcomed the introduction of Australia’s first nationally recognised qualifications in automation at the South Metropolitan TAFE Technical and Further Education institution, in Fremantle, Western Australia.

The course will provide workers in the resources sector and others looking to join it, with the skills and knowledge needed to succeed in an increasingly science, technology, engineering and mathematics-based industry, the miner said.

“The new certificate courses, the first to provide education pathways to jobs in the area of autonomous operations, are the result of an historic collaboration between Western Australia’s resources sector including Rio Tinto, South Metropolitan TAFE and the Western Australian Government,” Rio said.

The courses have been developed over the last year and are now accredited by the Training Accreditation Council (WA), with Rio contributing up to A$2 million ($1.37 million) to development of the new qualifications.

A Certificate II in Autonomous Workplace Operations will be introduced to TAFE curriculum and piloted by a group of Rio Tinto’s iron ore workforce from August, Rio said. It will also be piloted for Year 11 and 12 students in selected high schools across the state.

A Working Effectively in an Automated Workplace micro-credential course for trade-qualified, apprentices and technicians will also be available, according to Rio, which said a Certificate IV in Remote Centre Operations was also in development.

Rio Tinto Iron Ore Chief Executive, Chris Salisbury (pictured furthest right), said: “Australia’s workforce is in the midst of an important shift, as innovation and technology create new business models across all industries. Mining has moved to become a genuine leader in innovative technology and we recognise the critical need to provide effective education programmes and opportunities to help our people succeed in this new era.

“We believe these courses will make a long-lasting and positive difference to the lives of many Australians. It will help ensure our industry remains globally competitive and is a leader in innovative technology.”

RCT helps train up Northern Star and Gold Fields apprentices

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RCT says it is working with Gold Fields and Northern Star Resources to provide hands-on training opportunities to apprentices in Western Australia’s Goldfields.

This month, RCT’s Kalgoorlie, Western Australia, branch hosted Gold Fields apprentice Auto Electrician, Michael Schoeppner (pictured on the right), who carried out repair and maintenance work on remotely-operated mining equipment under the guidance of RCT’s experienced workshop staff.

Gold Fields Executive Vice President Australasia, Stuart Mathews, said: “Gold Fields is committed to team development, and we are delighted our apprentices have the opportunity to work with our business partners to receive valuable training, mentoring and experience.”

Following his training experience, Schoeppner will be able to apply his new skills to benefit Gold Fields’ projects in the region, where there is a continued emphasis on the use of remote technologies to improve safety and productivity in its mines, RCT said.

RCT also has a similar arrangement with Northern Star Resources, which saw apprentice Ben Ashby mentored by the company’s bench repair technicians at the Kalgoorlie branch earlier this month.

Ashby’s experience centred on unit repairs and diagnosis with particular focus on repairing remote interfaces and elements of RCT’s ControlMaster® Teleremote and Guidance products.

Northern Star Resources Maintenance Manager, Aaron Armstrong, said: “RCT has a wealth of in-house skills related to mobile plant equipment and electrical systems in the mining sector and we are happy they will share their knowledge with our tradespeople.”

RCT Kalgoorlie Branch Manager, Rick Radcliffe, said: “These training opportunities enable staff from both companies to familiarise themselves with each other’s procedures and technical knowledge providing a strong base for future working relationships.”