Canadian miners going silver

The early findings of a study of Canada’s mining industry, being carried out by the federally funded Mining Industry Training and Adjustment Council (MITAC), warn of a shortage of trained professionals.

Speaking at the annual convention of the Prospectors & Developers Association of Canada, held recently in Toronto, Patricia Dillon, manager of corporate relations for Teck Cominco (TEK-T), said up to half of the current workforce employed by this country’s mining industry may be eligible to retire in 5-10 years.

Dillon, who chairs the steering committee overseeing the study, said that while most production employees will retire, some professional workers will stay on as consultants and not necessarily be lost from the labour force. But while that situation may console some employers, the downside will be fewer opportunities for people entering the industry.

She pointed out that Australian-based View Resources had planned to reactivate the Bronzewing gold mine in Western Australia but that a shortage of skilled labour, as well as soaring contractor rates, prevented it from doing so.

“The MITAC study addresses the skilled labour shortage in our own backyard and seeks to provide data to support a national strategy [to solve the problem],” she said.

During the same presentation, MITAC Executive Director Paul Hebert said the shortage of skilled labour is “critical” and not confined to mining.

“A quick look around the room at any gathering like this tells you that we are facing a problem, with the average age in the industry approaching fifty.”

Nor is the problem limited to an aging workforce, he said, pointing out that skill gaps are evident among the people who are available.

“The industry is telling us that graduates from mining programs lack the practical skills to [move into] the workplace, and that supervisors and managers are not given adequate opportunities to acquire and develop the soft skills they require to do their work.”

Hebert said mining companies are often their own worst enemies, as cost-cutting during periods of low commodity prices usually results in layoffs, with the new entrants the first to go.

“Human resources management planning by firms in the minerals and metals industry has traditionally be reactive rather than proactive,” he said.

Other problems are that: mines are mostly rural and remote, making it difficult to attract and retain workers; few women and aboriginals participate in the industry; and competition among workers is on the increase.

Hebert called for a standard curriculum and better co-ordination among universities, colleges, technical schools, and training centres. In particular, he wants occupational requirements to be made standard, and workers to be certified.

The study also calls for:

– development of a national strategy to promote careers;

– expansion of best practices in aboriginal engagement and inclusion;

– a better system for recognizing foreign credentials and integrating immigrant Canadians into the workforce.

– exploration of alternative training methods, including “distance education”; and

– an expansion of existing public-private partnerships

The study also identifies several factors that might limit the Canadian mining industry’s competitiveness in the world. These include the Kyoto Protocol, rising costs for fuel and health care, and land access.

The study’s complete results will be released in mid-June in Calgary at the annual general meeting of the Mining Association of Canada.