The Ontario Mining Association is participating in Skills Canada Ontario’s blog www.skillswork.blogspot.com/ to promote awareness in skilled trades and technology career paths in the mineral industry. The OMA is contributing to this communications forum to help students better understand the employment prospects offered by the mining industry.
“The OMA has been an active partner with Skills Canada Ontario for more than five years. In 2010, the OMA celebrated its 90th anniversary and it is one of the longest serving trade organizations in the country,” said the OMA. “We represent companies engaged in responsible exploration, extraction and processing of Ontario’s mineral resources.”
“Like other sectors, mining foresees a future demand for technologically smart and skilled people. The flip side of this need for industry is boundless opportunity for young people embarking on training for future employment. In some ways being a partner with an educational organization like Skills Canada Ontario is like being a member of a health club – the more you use it, the more you get out of it.”
Others contributing to the blog include people in careers who benefitted from Skills Canada Ontario’s programs, winners of skilled trades competitions, students with questions, mentors to students, executives and Skills Canada Ontario Liaison Officers. The Liaison Team delivers in-school presentations and facilitates other programs and competitions offered by Skills Canada Ontario.
Skills Canada Ontario Liaison Officers have incorporated a segment of “Lego Mining” into its regular high school presentations. This video produced by David Delong from St. Benedicts Catholic Secondary School in Sudbury won in the Best Overall category in the OMA’s So You Think You Know Mining (SYTYM) high school video competition in 2010.
From its website, Skills Canada Ontario has a direct link to SYTYKM competition details. This year, SYTYKM is offering $25,500 in prize money in a broad range of film categories. The deadline for entries is March 31, 2011. A special awards gala is being planned for June 1, 2011.
Skills Canada Ontario (www.skillsontario.com), which opened its doors in 1989, is a not-for-profit organization with a mandate to promote careers in skilled trades and technologies as viable, first-choice employment options for young people in Ontario. More than 600,000 students benefit from the programs and activities Skills Canada Ontario facilitates each year. The organization works through partnerships with industry, education, labour and government. The OMA is committed to building on this partnership.
The OMA is involved in an on-going relationship with Skills Canada Ontario to support the work of liaison officers making presentations in schools, to contribute to the SKILLS WORK! book publication and to promote mining involvement and general awareness of technological skills competitions. The OMA’s Education and Outreach Committee works with Skills Canada Ontario on these initiatives.
Six career paths in the mining industry are featured in the fifth edition of Skills Canada Ontario’s SKILLS WORK! book. This publication is designed to help young people — particularly those in grade 10 earning their career studies credit — parents and educators better understand the tremendous employment opportunities that exist in skilled trades and technologies.
The mining careers, which are highlighted include environmental technician, geological technician, health and safety technician, instrumentation and remote control technician, mine technologist and production miner. The profile of each job route includes information on the type of person they may appeal to, where they work, the education and training and experience required and realistic salary expectations.