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Program Snapshot: Mastering Aboriginal Inclusion (Mining)
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In May 2009, MiHR and the Aboriginal Human Resource Council (AHRC) will launch Mastering Aboriginal Inclusion (Mining) – a five-part module and training program that is designed to equip mining companies with an enhanced ability to recruit, retain and advance more Aboriginal workers in the mining industry.
“The recent economic downturn has merely lowered projections of the number of skilled workers the mining industry will need to replace,” says Ryan Montpellier, executive director of the Mining Industry Human Resources Council (MiHR). “But, we’re asking employers to keep moving at full steam on inclusion initiatives because the shortage still stands in the tens of thousands and we collectively need to start working on a solution now.”
Kelly J. Lendsay, president and CEO of Aboriginal Human Resource Council, agrees, noting that it makes good sense to “partner with MiHR to adapt a specialized version of our flagship Mastering Aboriginal Inclusion program that is product-specific for the mining industry.”
“Mining is one of the largest employers of Aboriginal people in Canada and this sector is well-positioned to become an inclusion leader,” adds Lendsay.
The Mastering Aboriginal Inclusion two-day workshop brings to life the content of its five-part, self-study module series and also provides practical human resource assistance and advice to companies that want to explore and introduce Aboriginal employment and inclusion strategies. These training sessions are also designed to kick-start corporate inclusion efforts by encouraging corporate leaders and human resources practitioners to become ‘agents of change’ in their own organizations.
According to a 2009 report by Natural Resources Canada, most Aboriginal communities are located within 200 kilometers of a producing mine or exploration property and, additionally, half of all Aboriginal people in Canada are under 25 years of age and feature a growth rate more than six times that of the general population.
“Attracting Aboriginal people to the mining sector not only makes geographical sense, but it also makes economic sense,” says Gordon Peeling, president and CEO of The Mining Association of Canada. “Today, mining jobs offer any Canadian a chance at a rewarding and well paying profession.”
A 2007 study suggests the mining industry could lose up to 40 per cent of its existing workforce in the next 10 years due to retirement, with each employee loss equivalent to an average of 21 years of mining sector experience. Within the next decade, the largest percentage of workers planning to retire is in the skilled trades group.
Through the Mastering Aboriginal Inclusion program, mining companies will have a greater chance of securing trained, qualified Aboriginal staff, eager to pursue the opportunities created from this wave of retirements.
“The recent economic downturn has merely lowered projections of the number of skilled workers the mining industry will need to replace,” says Ryan Montpellier, executive director of the Mining Industry Human Resources Council (MiHR). “But, we’re asking employers to keep moving at full steam on inclusion initiatives because the shortage still stands in the tens of thousands and we collectively need to start working on a solution now.”
Kelly J. Lendsay, president and CEO of Aboriginal Human Resource Council, agrees, noting that it makes good sense to “partner with MiHR to adapt a specialized version of our flagship Mastering Aboriginal Inclusion program that is product-specific for the mining industry.”
“Mining is one of the largest employers of Aboriginal people in Canada and this sector is well-positioned to become an inclusion leader,” adds Lendsay.
The Mastering Aboriginal Inclusion two-day workshop brings to life the content of its five-part, self-study module series and also provides practical human resource assistance and advice to companies that want to explore and introduce Aboriginal employment and inclusion strategies. These training sessions are also designed to kick-start corporate inclusion efforts by encouraging corporate leaders and human resources practitioners to become ‘agents of change’ in their own organizations.
According to a 2009 report by Natural Resources Canada, most Aboriginal communities are located within 200 kilometers of a producing mine or exploration property and, additionally, half of all Aboriginal people in Canada are under 25 years of age and feature a growth rate more than six times that of the general population.
“Attracting Aboriginal people to the mining sector not only makes geographical sense, but it also makes economic sense,” says Gordon Peeling, president and CEO of The Mining Association of Canada. “Today, mining jobs offer any Canadian a chance at a rewarding and well paying profession.”
A 2007 study suggests the mining industry could lose up to 40 per cent of its existing workforce in the next 10 years due to retirement, with each employee loss equivalent to an average of 21 years of mining sector experience. Within the next decade, the largest percentage of workers planning to retire is in the skilled trades group.
Through the Mastering Aboriginal Inclusion program, mining companies will have a greater chance of securing trained, qualified Aboriginal staff, eager to pursue the opportunities created from this wave of retirements.