FQM targets skills, knowledge transfer for local people

Thu, 22 Jun 2017 12:04:38 +0000

By JACK MAPAPAYI

FIRST Quantum Minerals (FQM) has identified skills and knowledge transfer as a key driver of long term sustainable development in the mining industry.

FQM country manager General Kingsley Chinkuli said the mining industry continued to push the boundaries of automation.

He said a long-term solution was required to address the skills gap between expatriates and local people that reflected a shortage of highly skilled and qualified employees.

“So, we want to create an enabling environment where any employee in the company can grow from being a general worker and progressively rise through the ranks.

“And it is for this reason we have prioritised skills and knowledge transfer, and made it the focus of our development agenda,’’ Gen Chinkuli said.

He said the mining company suggested that one of the solutions to the lack of skilled labour in the ever-changing mining sector was to involve industry specialists in the teaching process wherever possible.

“Local community members on our database are screened based on attitude, aptitude and against pre-qualification criteria for annual vocational training opportunities offered by Sentinel mine and the Trident Foundation, to empower them to take on more skilled roles.

“And currently, 151 local community members are on various training programmes,’’ he said.

He disclosed that as at the end of April this year, 427 out of 2,559 production-level employees came from Sentinel Mine’s local recruitment database.

“And the mining firm has made it clear that standards will not be compromised during recruitment, and successful candidates must have the necessary skills for the job. Not only is this a requirement to ensure productivity, but more importantly it is a safety requirement, he said.

He indicated that the mining company is doing its best to provide suitable employment opportunities to local community members through a local recruitment database of local community members established with traditional leaders and a local baseline census.

He said the mining firm believes that direct employment is one of the key benefits a mine delivers in terms of social and economic impact.