Goldcorp Inc.: major miner letting people shine.

• Author: Stewart, Nick
• Position: BEST PLACES TO WORK

As one of the dominant lights of the Northern Ontario mining community, Goldcorp Inc. continues to be focused on the growth of not just its margins and reserves, but of its people.

With nearly 1,000 employees in the North, the company's mines are scattered throughout Timmins and Red Lake, with its Mussel-white mine located 480 kilometres north of Thunder Bay.

This number stands to rise if Goldcorp moves ahead with plans to expand its workings in the Timmins camp, nearing completion on a feasibility study for a new project. Work is underway to examine the potential for carving a new open pit out of the former underground Hollinger Mine workings located at the heart of the city.

Several permits are expected to be in place by next year, and if approved, work on dewatering, site demolition and site construction will begin. The project will require the company to add even more jobs, something that will feed into the decades of effort Goldcorp has spent honing its ability to relate to its people.

"We've developed a really positive reputation as an employer," says Gerry Atkinson, senior vice-president, human resources at Goldcorp.

"A lot of that has to do with our dedication to our people."

Part of that commitment to staff emerges through one of the company's central strategies, which simply says to "grow people."

With operations throughout North and South America, Goldcorp encourages staff to move between development sites if they're interested in testing out new opportunities. This allows them to expand their personal and professional horizons in different locations and potentially in different roles, says Atkinson.

"It's imperative for us that you enjoy the job that you're doing."

It's this kind of approach that allows Goldcorp to be more than just a stepping stone, but a career. Indeed, this has been a company where many have spent their working lives, with numerous people having been there for 30 years or more, says Atkinson. This allows dedicated people to progress and participate in supervisory and leadership programs, allowing them to eventually take up management positions.

Supplementing these offerings is a program entitled "Dare to Grow," which helps teach workers how to work effectively as part of a team and how to interact with others while maintaining opportunities for personal development.

This complements the raft of safety...