Teck’s Greenhills Operation workers certified in industry pilot
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CRANBROOK, BC (April 8th, 2011) – Several employees from Teck Resources
Limited’s Greenhills Operation today joined their Highland Valley Copper peers by
receiving national certification through the Canadian Mining Credentials Program.
Developed by the Mining Industry Human Resources Council (MiHR) and members of
industry, the program is the cornerstone of the mining industry's efforts to recognize the
skills, knowledge and experience of its workforce.
The group represents a selection of Canada’s first underground miners, surface miners
and minerals processing operators to achieve nationally recognized certification. Teck’s
Greenhills employees received Level 1 certification as Minerals Processing Operators
while 12 participants at Highland Valley Copper received certification as either Level 1
or Level 2 Minerals Processing Operators at the beginning of March in a recognition
ceremony which took place onsite.
This is an historic event in Canadian mining because until now, unlike the trades, skilled
workers in these occupations have never before been awarded an industry-recognized
credential that supports mobility and retention within the mining workforce.
Greenhills employees who have achieved certification were awarded certificates in a
recognition ceremony which took place April 8th from 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the
corporate office in Sparwood, BC. Teck Resources Limited representatives in
attendance were Jim Utley, Vice President, Human Resources, Dean Runzer, General
Manager, Blaine Beranek, Superintendent, Processing and Glen Campbell, Manager,
Human Resources.
Certification is something both employers and workers have been waiting for.
“New employees in the industry are often looking for those opportunities that recognize
them for the skill set they developed that are transferrable throughout the industry,”
explains Dean Runzer, General Manager for Teck Resources Limited.
Teck’s Greenhills Operation and its Highland Valley Copper Mine are two of seven sites
that participated in the certification pilot across Canada in 2010. Other participating sites
participating include:
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Xstrata Zinc’s Brunswick Mine in Bathurst, New Brunswick
Cementation Canada Inc., at Totten Mine in Sudbury, Ontario and Trout Lake
Mine in Manitoba
Rio Tinto’s Diavik Diamond Mine in the Northwest Territories
Northgate Minerals Corp’s. Kemess South Mine, British Columbia
MiHR’s latest research estimates between now and 2020, the mining industry will
require approximately 100,000 workers to support growth in the industry and replace
retiring workers. Approximately 20 per cent of these new hires will be required in skilled
occupations that have, until now, lacked a national recognition system, including
production miners, development miners, heavy equipment operators and mill operators.
The certification program will be an essential component in increasing and retaining the
valuable skills required to keep the mining industry sustainable. Without a formal
credentialing framework for these jobs, employers may struggle to evaluate the
qualifications of experienced candidates and may end up wasting time and resources
retraining new hires in areas where they have already demonstrated competency in the
workplace. Furthermore, employees with skills sets that are not recognized by their
industry can become frustrated and may seek opportunities elsewhere. A recent MiHR
survey of mining industry employers revealed that turnover in these occupations is
almost twice as high as other mining sector jobs.
-30MiHR and this project are funded in part by the Government of Canada’s Sector Council
Program.
About the Canadian Mining Credentials Program
The Canadian Mining Credentials Program is the cornerstone of the mining industry's
efforts to recognize the skills, knowledge and experience of mining workers, provide
workers with portable credentials, accredit training programs for mining workers and
enable employers to accurately and consistently verify the skills and experience of job
applicants and support ongoing professional recognition for their employees.
The program is founded on a set of mining industry National Occupational Standards.
So far, National Occupational Standards have been developed for three key mining
occupational areas: Underground Mining, Surface Mining and Minerals Processor
Operations. National Occupational Standards for Diamond Drilling are currently being
developed.
The National Occupational Standards provide the basis for the certification program.
The first of its kind for this country's mining industry, the certification program assesses
the skills of mining industry workers and provides these workers with portable
credentials based on their experience and skill levels. Credentials earned through the
system provide employers with a valuable tool with which to verify the skills of workers
coming from different regions of Canada. Equally important, the certification enables
mining workers to access employment opportunities across the country by providing
them with an industry-based portable credential.
About the Mining Industry Human Resources Council (MiHR)
MiHR is the sector council for Canada’s minerals and metals industry. MiHR contributes
to the strength, competiveness and sustainability of the Canadian mining industry by
collaborating with all communities of interest in the development and implementation of
solutions to the industry’s national HR challenges. For more information, visit
www.mihr.ca.
For more information contact:
Alana Kennedy
Director of Marketing & Communications,
MiHR
(613) 270-9696 x 41
akennedy@mihr.ca
Nic Milligan
Manager, Community and Government
Affairs
Teck Resources Limited
(250) 425-3335
nic.milligan@teck.com
Lindsay Forcellini
Marketing & Communications Coordinator,
MiHR
(613) 270-9696 x 58
lforcellini@mihr.ca