Joy Global Inc. has launched a new training course to educate employees on financial measures, reports Ulitzer. They claim that by educating employees in the steps they can take to optimize company performance, Joy Global will reduce costs and increase profit.

P&H Mining Equipment, a division of Joy Global Inc., identified the need for their sales force to have a working knowledge of the financial operations of the company, and to recognize the financial implications of everyday business decisions. P&H Mining Equipment recognized that this understanding would make the sales force more effective at reducing operational costs and defining solutions that address customer needs while enhancing Joy Global’s financial results.

Cronkite News reports: Resolution Copper is sponsoring high school students in Superior, Apache Junction, Globe, Hayden and other area communities in Arizona to major in the sciences, engineering, math, or business. Resolution intends to bring a mine into production in the area in 2021, and will need people trained in high-tech skills. Subject to Congress approving an exchange of U.S. Forest Service land east of Superior, the company is planning to mine what it calls the largest untapped copper lode in the U.S. With the copper more than a mile beneath the surface, Resolution Copper plans to tunnel into the earth to remove the ore rather than creating an open pit. “It’s a technical and economic marvel,” [Resolution Copper’s communications manager Bruce] Richardson said. “We’re going to need really smart and qualified workers to operate it safely.”

South Africa's Mukundi Mining Resources has begun developing mining training courses to address the skills shortage South Africa is facing in the industry, Mining Weekly reports.

The company has identified specific training requirements in the mining sector and will include preparatory induction assessments, as well as the required medical examinations, in its proposed course curriculum, says Mukundi CEO Octavia Matshidiso Matloa.

Manufacturers' Monthly: The National Apprenticeships Program (NAP) offered by Queensland’s SkillsTech Australia and several national training organizations are offering apprenticeship programs to people over 25 years old to enter the underskilled resources sector.

According to NAP program director Alan Sparks, the system was launched in response to the National Resources Sector Employment Taskforce Report which identified the skills shortages in the mining and resources sector. “This Advanced Entry Adult Apprenticeship Scheme recruits Australians who have extensive skills and experience, rigorously assessing the skills they have already acquired and fills the gaps to secure full trade qualifications, potentially graduating participants within 18 months,” Sparks told Manufacturers’ Monthly.

FOXit Ltd. is presenting a free seminar on November 7, 2011 to generate excitement and appreciation for technology in mining, manufacturing, construction and more. FOXit will explore new generation devices and their relevance to these industries, HR Highway reports.

“These are important sectors in the economy, but they are often seen, for the most part, as being conservative and antiquated in terms of technology. The purpose of this event is to demonstrate advanced solutions – but also to address issues that operators face when it comes to technology integration,” [CEO Aldo] van Tonder explains.

Several community colleges in Colorado have been selected to receive a grants to support their training for high-skilled, high-wage jobs in mining, clean energy, water management and oil and gas, the Fowler Tribune reports.

"This is a win-win for Colorado's workers and employers. By enabling colleges to work directly with private employers, students will get the specific skills that make them competitive for higher-paying jobs in growing industries - and employers will get a well-trained workforce they can rely on," Senator Mark Udall said.

The newly-opened Wiradjuri Study Centre in Condobolin, NSW, Australia aims to boost employment prospects for the local indigenous community in mining, construction, transport, and administration, Invest in Australia reports.

Owned and managed by the Wiradjuri Condobolin Corporation, the Indigenous Study Centre was built using local materials and local Indigenous labour, and will apply culturally-appropriate teaching methods to engage the local Aboriginal community and encourage participation in nationally-recognised vocational courses.

The Observer: Tash Fee, head of the two-year-old mine training company, TNT Training Solutions, has won the Individual Award for Excellence in Training at the Mining Industry Skills Centre Training Awards, and has been recognized for her role in encouraging women into mining careers.

TNT Training Solutions provides training in everything from working at heights and confined spaces to fire training and a range of other skills. Originally a motor mechanic, Ms Fee started working as a fitter in the mines.

OK Tedi Mining Company (OTML) has recruited and is training 32 new mining apprentices - the largest number of intakes it has had since 1982, reports The National.

The apprentices, who signed their contracts with OTML and the National Apprenticeship and Trade Testing Board (NATTB) last July, will now undergo training with OTML as required under the provisions of the PNG NATTB Act of 1986. OTML human resources executive manager Brad McMahon said this latest recruitment further stressed OTML’s strong stance on helping develop PNG’s technical human resources. “Since the first enrolment of apprentices in February 1982, OTML has trained over 830 competent skill tradespersons,” McMahon said.