The Natural Resources Ministry is endeavouring to commission a Mining School whose programmes will enjoy local, regional and international accreditation.
Once established, students of the school will benefit from lessons which familiarise them with every important aspect of the mining industry. The revelation was made yesterday morning by Natural Resources Minister Robert Persaud.
Joan Hamilton, a Volunteer Advisor with Canadian Executive Service Organisation (CESO), has been involved in the conceptualisation of the school and yesterday she told reporters that she has been helping with the execution of a strategic analysis and a business plan for the school.
Once set, she said, the school will have three main objectives, including developing the capacity and skill that is being demanded by the mining industry. Several members of government have lamented the fact that though the mining and other technical sectors expand, there seems to be a shortage of qualified a workforce to meet the demand.
Secondly, the school will seek to partner with several stakeholders, local, regional and international, in an effort ensure that the programmes it will be providing are recognised, approved and accredited.
Finally, the school itself will be seeking certification from the International Organisation for Standardisation (IOS). Such certification will depend on whether the school’s products (programmes) are deemed by the ISO as meeting the needs of customers and stakeholders while meeting statutory and regulatory requirements related to the product.
Ministry officials also said that students will have the benefit of using the actual facilities of mining establishments for the practical aspects of their lessons. This will afford them a hands-on approach to their studies and give them a head start in terms of enabling them to become versed in the capacities they will eventually serve in.
The school’s curriculum is also being developed and Hamilton said prospective students will be able to choose from short-term, to more long-term programmes such as diplomas.
