Demand ‘unreal’ for mining jobs – by Carol Mulligan (Sudbury Star – April 30, 2012)

The Sudbury Star is the City of Greater Sudbury’s daily newspaper.

Jeff Lafortune teaches in the civil and mining engineering technologist program at College Boreal he graduated from 15 years ago. In that decade and a half, he has seen a tremendous demand build for skilled mining employees.

“When I graduated, there was one company in town … and there were 15 of us wanting that job,” Lafortune said Saturday. “Now, there are 15 companies wanting that one person. So it’s opportunity for the kids. It’s unreal,” said Lafortune, who was taking part in a career fair at the New Sudbury Centre as part of Sudbury Mining Week.

Lafortune was advising people who stopped at his booth about job possibilities after they graduate from the three-year program in which students learn skills such as surveying, ventilation, planning and designing, “and a whole realm of different work.”

He worked 15 years in the industry with several mining companies before heading to the classroom. “In mines, when I left, you could see it was hard to keep and retain” employees, said Lafortune. The mining industry is booming and skilled tradespeople have their pick of the best jobs.

College Boreal has run a campaign this year across the North, explaining to young people the “dividends” of choosing a career in trades, and especially mining. It’s already starting to pay off with higher enrolment, said Lafortune.

The Mining Industry Human Resource Council is predicting there will be a shortage of 110,000 skilled workers in less than 10 years.

What Lafortune and others are doing is educating people that mining isn’t the industry it once was.

Safety and work practices have improved, the jobs have changed and they’re performed these days by men and women.

The demand for skilled workers is so great, Lafortune said College Boreal has employers calling for workers “and we can’t keep up with names.”
Leo Leclair aims to get to potential workers when they’re in high school as co-ordinator of the Specialist High Skills Major program with the Rainbow District School Board.

The program introduces Grade 11 and 12 students to specific industries and mining is one of them.

“We tell students, ‘it’s not like the old days.’ The unfortunate thing about mining is, as soon as you mention it, the image of a pick and shovel comes to mind.”

For the rest of this article, please go to the Sudbury Star website: http://www.thesudburystar.com/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=3547478