Employment gateway: accreditation enhancing employment in mining engineering.

• Author: Kelly, Lindsay
• Position: SUDBURY

As one of only two accredited mining engineering technology programs offered in Canada, Cambrian College's course of study offers students a unique opportunity to prepare for the workplace, meeting the expectations of potential employers

The Sudbury school, whose program was first accredited by the Canadian Technology Accreditation Board in 2004, recently renewed its accreditation until 2014. Having the designation creates a benchmark to ensure the college is teaching mining fundamentals recognized by industry, Tim Jones, a Cambrian mining engineering technology professor, explained.

[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

"From our perspective as teachers, it's a useful second setting of what we give to the students," he said. "It helps us to identify and make sure that we're covering all the areas necessary for the students to have when they graduate and enter into the workplace."

Mike Mayhew, director of global business services with Stantec's mining division, serves as chair of Cambrian's Mining Program Advisory Committee. Comprised of representatives from industry players such as Stantec, Xstrata Nickel, Vale and Quadra FNX, the committee is designed to provide insight into programming in an effort to continually enhance the college's offerings.

Mayhew said the school's courses are beneficial, because it gives students a strong background in mining fundamentals, from surveying, rock mechanics and mining methods to AutoCAD, report writing and English.

"There's a variety of courses there that are basically tailored to the industry, and Cambrian College and the advisory panel are always leaning on industry to make sure that they stay on the latest technology and what industry is really looking for," he said.

A high-calibre education is even more essential at a time when few mining engineering technology programs exist and even fewer students are entering the programs that are offered, even though "the opportunities, as far as I can tell, from a 30-year perspective, are almost open-ended at this point," Jones said;

"There isn't much in the way of mining education across Canada; the numbers are really thin on the ground," he said. "The number of programs and the number of students taking them are way low relative to the needs of industry for any kind of engineering technician, technology or degree."

His industry contacts say mining engineering technologists can command high salaries because of the shortage, but existing staff are burning out because there...