BHP Billiton Diamonds Inc., operator of Canada’s first diamond mine, is committed to building a sustainable Aboriginal and northern workforce. Its Workplace Learning Program benefits all workers who wish to upgrade their skills.
Document Highlight
The northern and Aboriginal labour force from which BHP Billiton Diamonds Inc. draws its workers comes with several skills-related challenges. It is a population with a strong oral, rather than written, culture; workers generally have little or negative experience with schooling; and for many of them, BHP Billiton’s first diamond mine, Ekati, is also their first employer.
The company initiated a Workplace Learning Program to maintain and improve safety in the planning and execution of all work activities, and offer upgrading to learners of all levels (through literacy skills upgrading, pre-trades training and apprenticeship preparation, instruction and support for workers wishing to complete high school) and access to correspondence courses.
The program develops skills through many learning delivery methods and activities, and emphasizes flexibility. Despite the considerable challenges of creating and maintaining a learning program at a remote northern mine site, the Workplace Learning Program continues to be a great success.
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