BHP and Carlton Trail College are pleased to announce that they have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to enhance educational and training opportunities for the mining industry in Saskatchewan. BHP and Carlton Trail College have worked together for several years, partnering to deliver pre-apprenticeship and related industry training. The signing of this MOU is an exciting next step that advances the partnership and mining training opportunities in the province.
The MOU outlines initial steps in the development of an industry-leading, immersive training program. The program will be aligned to existing provincial curriculum and pathways available through Carlton Trail College, such as the Mining Essentials which was created in 2010 by the Mining Industry Human Resources Council (MiHR) and the Assembly of First Nations (AFN).
“This is a very exciting time for the province of Saskatchewan with several projects, like BHP’s Jansen potash mine driving economic growth. At Jansen alone we have 800 site-based roles. The opportunity for people of all backgrounds to build a meaningful and rewarding career in the trades is immense – and access to training in local communities helps open the door,” said Graham Reynolds, General Manager of Operational Readiness, BHP.
“The demand for skilled tradespeople, especially in the mining industry, will only increase in the coming years,” said Amy Yeager, Carlton Trail College President and CEO. “By focusing on training for trades that are needed now and into the future, this partnership offers an exciting opportunity to enhance our impact, work more cooperatively with industry and contribute to a stronger Saskatchewan.”
As part of Saskatchewan’s post-secondary sector, Carlton Trail College already works with mining and related industry partners to help provide training and workforce development solutions to some of the labour force challenges that are being experienced.
By working together in a more coordinated manner with BHP and others, the partnership looks towards the future as it seeks to establish a responsive, long-term industry training model to build an inclusive, skilled and sustainable mining workforce.
Photo: Amy Yeager, Carlton Trail College President and CEO; Deanna Gaetz, Carlton Trail College Business and Skills Training Director; Phillip Tysoe, Lead Principal Training, BHP; Bianca Matthews, Manager Organizational Readiness, BHP; Jennifer Fafard, Coordinator Training, BHP