Mining may not come to mind right away as a career choice for many grade 8 students. But Vale Base Metals and Cambrian College are hoping to change that, as those students make the transition to high school, and later on, post secondary education.
Cambrian's main Barry Downe campus was the host site for Vale Career Day.
Approximately 300 grade 8 students from the Rainbow District School Board and Sudbury Catholic District School Board were given an early introduction to the numerous, well-paying careers in the mining sector, particularly at Vale's local operations.
"Vale Base Metals is proud to be the second-largest employer in the municipality, and we're committed to engaging grade 8 students by introducing them to the many career paths available within the mining industry", says Kristeen Gaasbeek, HR Manager at Vale Base Metals. "While many may associate mining with underground operations, there are also exciting opportunities in engineering, finance, human resources, health, safety, environment and geology, and a wide range of skilled trades. As students begin selecting their academic streams in grade 9, we believe that offering hands-on experiences and meaningful content can broaden their perspectives and help them make informed decisions about their future."
Students also learned about the programs offered at Cambrian College that prepare students for careers in mining, including business, engineering, environmental monitoring, information technology, trades, and workplace safety.
"I think this was an eye-opening experience for many of these grade 8 students, about the variety of careers that are available in mining," adds Renee Scott, Cambrian's Director of Marketing, Recruitment and Student Success. "They may think that mining is just about going underground or working in the smelter or mill. What we shared with them was the variety of in-demand careers that are available in mining. We hope some of the students will use their experience at Vale Career Day to consider careers in mining."
Students taking part in Vale Career Day also had the opportunity to spend time in the Vale Electric Vehicle Lab on campus, which is part of Cambrian R&D, the college's applied research division.
Vale contributed $750,000 toward the construction and equipping of the lab, where Cambrian R&D works with industry partners like Vale to prototype and test industrial electric batteries and other equipment.
To learn more about the careers available at Vale, visit https://vale.com/our-people.
To learn more about Cambrian's various programs, visit https://cambriancollege.ca.
To learn more about Cambrian R&D, visit https://cambriancollege.ca/rd.
For more information
1400 Barrydowne Road
Sudbury Ontario
Canada P3A 3V8
www.cambriancollege.ca/
