When Inco began planning for the deployment of Mine2-4D at its six mines in the Sudbury area and contemplated the logistical challenge of removing 150 key employees from their jobs for two weeks of intensive training, students in Collège Boréal's mining and civil engineering program were more than willing to help out.
"Inco approached us to see if we could backfill some of those positions," said acting dean of trades and technology Daniel Giroux. "It was great because there's an eight-week co-op placement for our third-year students. We approached them to see if they were interested and, of course, they all jumped on board."
There weren't enough third-year students to meet Inco's needs, so the college also offered up its second-year students. Co-op placements are not part of the curriculum in the second year of the program, but college administration made adjustments and succeeded in getting everyone onside, resulting in the extension the school term by three weeks.
It was an ideal opportunity for all parties because "you don't want students sweeping the floors on placements," said Giroux. "This was real work."
It was also an opportunity for the students - all 23 of them - to get valuable experience.
"The first thing any business looks for when hiring new employees is experience, so this gives them a real edge."
Giroux credits the college's reputation, the quality of its graduates and its willingness to be flexible for Inco's invitation.
The college's mining program takes in an average of 15 or 16 students every year, but is expecting enrolment to increase in response to the hot commodity market and the increasing demand for skilled miners.
Collège Boréal offers a two-year combined mining and civil engineering technician's program and a three-year technology program at its Sudbury campus.
The language of instruction is French, but students are taught mining terminology in both languages and have an advantage in the workforce because
they are usually fluently bilingual, said Giroux.
The college also offers programs in Welding and Fabrication, Heavy Equipment Mechanics, Electronics and Chemistry.
The two people directing the deployment of Mine2-4D at Inco, senior mines project engineer Peter Golde and GijimaAst project manager Andrew
Vehkala, served as keynote speakers at the college's third annual National Engineering Week dinner earlier this year.
