(Saskatoon SK): The International Minerals Innovation Institute (IMII) today released its first update on the results of Year 1 of a five year, $3.75 Million commitment to training Saskatchewan residents in rural communities for employment in the province’s mining industry. In under a year, 86 people from northern, southern and west central Saskatchewan have graduated from an IMII funded program and are positioned for employment and/or additional specific mining-focused training.
“IMII was committed, from the very start, to hit the ground running with its training initiatives,” said Engin Ozberk, Executive Director of IMII. “We accomplished precisely that with the launch of five training projects at four Regional College campuses – Northlands, Parkland, Cumberland and Carlton Trail – in our first year. In less than a year since we started this, we have graduates, many of whom already have jobs with either mining companies or businesses that serve the mining industry in Saskatchewan.”
To date, the courses in which these graduates have completed their studies include: Underground Mining, Diamond Driller Helper, Radiation Technician, Mine Technician, Introduction to Mining and Electrical Applied Certificate.
IMII Board Chair Dwight Percy added, “These immediate training results are important to the mining sector in the province. Thanks to industry’s direct funding, with provincial government support, of these training programs through the International Minerals Innovation Institute, we are seeing this employment-readiness success happen today, not a few years down the road. That’s important to the mining sector, and it’s equally important to the 86 people who graduated, complete with great career opportunities, so far this first year.”
IMII’s current activities and future plans are being driven by industry priorities. Through the Board of Directors and separate panels for both Education and Training (E&T) and Research and Development (R&D), collaboration occurs amongst industry, government and education and research institutions to clearly define the need, solution, implementation plan and outcomes together.
