Helping people succeed in the mining industry is the core priority of Northern College’s Haileybury School of Mines’ (HSM) signature Mining Engineering Technician program.
HSM has been in the business of
training mining specialists for more than 100 years, setting the
standard for mining education throughout the world. Along with
training more than 2,000 graduates, HSM has provided expertise to
schools of mines in Zimbabwe and Chile, and has taken the lead on
numerous international mining education and training projects. The
large network of successful HSM alumni working in top mining
companies across Canada and around the world is proof that the
program delivers the right education,
year after year.
Because much of the program is delivered online, HSM students hail from all across the country, and at times, around the world from places such as South Africa, Scotland and Jamaica. The program is delivered by Northern College at two other institutions - Northlands College in Saskatchewan and Confederation College in Thunder Bay.
Northern College has also partnered with Queen’s University in Kingston to establish a pathway for Mining Engineering Technician graduates to obtain a Bachelor of Technology-Mining Engineering university degree, delivered in the same format as the Mining Engineering Technician program. HSM is well-established and continues to evolve and diversify in order to continuously enhance the experience for students and meet the needs of employers.
“There are no boundaries to the kind of mining training and education we provide,” said Victoria Hanson, Northern College Director of Trades, Technology and Applied Research. “It speaks to the absolute expertise of the Northern College Haileybury School of Mines in the mining field. We have a national and international dimension to our program.”
Flexibility and support are key to delivering such a dynamic and resourceful program. Ninety per cent of the two-year program is delivered online. At the end of each year, there is a two-week, on-site field school component. The modular format makes this program ideal for students who are currently working. Each student is put on a plan to help guide them through the process and the college offers 24-hour online tutoring and remote access support.
Northern College holds partnerships in high regard. The college has teamed up with numerous industry leaders to provide the ultimate educational experience for students. Northern College has formed partnerships with Goldcorp Porcupine Gold Mines and mines in Dubreville to establish the Basic Underground Hard Rock Miner Common Core program. The Surface Diamond Driller Assistant Common Core program partners with Atlas Copco, Foraco Canada, Cabo Drilling, Forage Orbit Garant Drilling, Levert Drilling, Major Drilling Group International, Boart Longyear, Kirkland Lake Gold, Osisko Mining and Canadian Driller Training. The program has also been offered in the Hamlet of Arviat, Nunavut, providing much needed staff for Nunavut’s rapidly expanding gold industry.
“The whole philosophy we bring to
program delivery is partnership,” said Bob Mack, Northern College
Vice-President, Community, Business Development and Employment
Services. “It is engrained in what we do. When you combine
the resources of two, three or more organizations, you get a better
product and service and it benefits students, employers, as well as
the communities
we serve.”
Northern College also works diligently to deliver the same educational experience to First Nations people, with courses designed specifically for Aboriginals to ensure they are prepared for the demanding and exciting pace in the mining industry.
“We work closely with First Nation members to develop training and education that leads to meaningful employment,” Mack said. “It’s a big part of what we do.”
