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.

In an effort to promote worker mobility and skills retention, Canada has developed a mining credentials program that will allow worker talent to be officially documented and inventoried. The first group of Canadian miners has now been included in this certification program, reports Plant Engineering and Maintenance.

This is an historic event in Canadian mining because, until now, unlike the trades, skilled workers in these occupations have never before been awarded an industry-recognized credential that supports mobility and retention within the mining workforce. The certification program was founded on a set of industry-developed National Occupational Standards, which have been developed for three key mining occupational areas: underground miner; surface miner and minerals processing operator; and diamond driller.

Arch Coal Inc. is donating $300,000 to go towards research into mine safety at the College of Engineering and Mineral Resources' Mining and Industrial Extension Department at West Virginia University, CNBC reports.

WVU said Thursday it will try to double the gift by seeking a matching grant from the state Research Trust Fund. Chief Executive Steven Leer says St. Louis-based Arch appreciates WVU's work in educating a new generation of engineers.

Joaquim Duarte David, Angolan Mininster of Geology, Mining and Industry recommends that Angolan universities invest more into training engineers, scientists and administrators, ANGOP reports.

To Joaquim David, knowledge and training are vehicles for the creation of modern techniques to increase productivity, improve the distribution of wealth and the emergence of a vast medium class with access to market, revelation of intellectuals, creators of businesses and decision-makers.

Perth Now reports: the first round of funds from the Australian Critical Skills Investment Fund of $200 million have been assigned to twelve WA projects in the critical industry sectors resources, construction, infrastructure and renewable energy.

Included in the 12 projects selected from WA are up-skilling senior tradespeople for frontline management jobs and specialist roles in mining and civil construction, training for workers in mining and quarrying and training for new and existing workers in rail operations to support resource projects. More than 2100 WA workers will be trained up under the Federal Government program.

Workers in Newfoundland and Labrador that do not have approved fall protection training will not be able to work with fall protection […]

The Mining Industry Skills Centre in Australia has launched the Accelerated Skilling Hubs to train workers quickly to fill skills shortages, Australian Mining reports.

According to the Skills Centre, it developed ASH on the premise of exploring a Silicon Valley model; creating a hub of expertise, training and technology to advance the industry. It will utilise gaming technologies, simulation techniques and automation to quickly skills workers in a ‘centre of excellence’ environment which can be located regionally or in a capital centre.