Editorial No engineering school lineups

From a letter to The Northern Miner from Gilles Barbery, director, department of mining and metallurgy, Laval University, Quebec.

There is a clear need to optimize the performance of mining depart ments in Canada. We also need to attract highly-qualified students to mining and to provide an education program that will equip them with the proper background and motivation to implement technological changes in the minerals industry.

No doubt co-op programs can contribute to these requirements and Lav al University has already taken steps in this direction, in particular by deciding to implement a co-operative program starting in the fall of 1987. It should be mentioned, however, that the image of the mining profession in the general public is very poor, as reflected in the marked reduction in the number of freshmen in all mining programs in North America, and as a result initiatives taken by The Northern Miner (in supplying mining education kits to schools) should be encouraged.