The Northwest Community College School of Exploration and Mining, based in Smithers, BC, is responding to that need. Northwest Community College (NWCC) and a local industry association, Smithers Exploration Group (SEG), are partners in the new school. For two years they have been training students for work in the burgeoning mineral exploration industry through training programs such as the Mining Exploration Field Assistant (MEFA).

The MEFA program takes place in a unique setting – a 20-person bush camp set up to replicate the exact working conditions of camp environment. These outdoor classrooms are situated near the communities where the students live.

“What makes these programs unique is the fact that they’re based in the bush,” explains SEG president Gary Thompson. “Students live under actual camp conditions and are taught by industry professionals. This means graduates are job-ready when they approach the industry for work.”

The students learn a wide range of practical, entry-level skills ranging from wilderness and helicopter safety to GPS navigational skills and core splitting. The program evolves through industry consultation, with new skill training added to meet exploration companies’ needs.

By the end of this summer, almost 20 bush camp classrooms will have been held across the province, from Dease Lake and the villages of the Nass Valley in the northwest, across the central interior of BC to Mackenzie in the northeast and Cranbrook in the southeast. It’s anticipated that almost 200 students will have graduated by the end of July 2006.

In 2005 more than half the students were First Nations. Half-way through this year’s MEFA program, two-thirds of the registrants have been First Nations. Robert Nicholas, a 2005 student from the Fort Babine Band, sums up his experience: “The instructors were great and taught us what we needed to know. It was a good experience. I learned a lot of new things. It is a valuable thing to learn in a bush camp because it reflects what a real mining exploration camp would be."

Students like Robert Nicholas, and the companies that need workers, connect through the school’s job placement advisor. In northwest BC, Tracy Moore works with program graduates to ensure their résumés emphasize industry-relevant skills, and provides extra coaching and support in preparation for interviews.

Moore also assists the industry with recruiting efforts. “I want companies to know that they can come to me with their hiring requirements. I will put them in contact with the graduates and help fill specific requests,” says Moore.

As a result of the practical training and the after-grad coaching, more than half the 2005 graduates were immediately employed in resource industries around the province. The employment rate will be even higher for 2006, as more than 40 percent of recent graduates have secured work within a month of graduating.

The MEFA success story continues to attract support from the government of British Columbia and the industry. Last year the provincial Ministry of Energy, Mines and Petroleum Resources (MEMPR) funded the school through a generous grant. In 2006 the ministry continued the grant and backed the expansion of the program around the province.

Besides the MEFA exploration training, the school offers Driller Helper, Camp Manager, Basic Prospecting programs as well as trades instruction. It is also developing a reclamation program and will begin work on entry-level training for mines).

The mineral exploration industry was an early supporter of the Northwest Community College (NWCC) School of Exploration and Mining. “Our partnership with the Smithers Exploration Group ensures training programs are developed and delivered in line with industry standards and needs,” states NWCC President, Stephanie Forsyth.

NWCC has a long history of working with First Nations in Northwest BC to deliver educational programs that address their cultural, social and economic needs. This is done through consultation with the College’s First Nations Council.

Forty percent of the College’s student body is of First Nations descent and programs have been created to respond to First Nations key areas of concern including: resource management, public administration, business management, technical and trades, human services, cultural skills, and education. The MEFA program is another example of the College following its strategic directives in ensuring educational programs meet the needs of First Nations learners and communities.

Forsyth says as First Nations consider the terms under which their people might participate in the exploration and mining industries, it’s important that they ensure training and education are included.

For more information on the Northwest Community College School of Exploration and Mining contact:

Mark Edwards –250-847-4461 or medwards@nwcc.bc.ca
Tracy Moore - 250-847-4461 or tmoore@nwcc.bc.ca
Visit http://www.nwcc.bc.ca/Programs/Mining/mining_start.cfm
or http://www.smithersexplorationgroup.com 

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