Recognizing a gap in available professional development, CivMin Professor Kamran Esmaeili undertook the task of creating a program of new online courses for mining industry professionals
Led by an initiative from Prof. Kamran Esmaeili, a professor in the Department of Civil & Mineral Engineering, a new set of online courses designed for professional development is being released. Targeted to mining industry professionals, the new Mining Industry Management Program (MIMP) at the University of Toronto will hold its first course this fall.
A recent global survey identified learning needs and educational gaps among working mining professionals. Many of these young professionals are unable to pursue further education as they are busy with their careers and often work in remote locations. Distance and time constraints prevent them from physically attending class-based courses. Faced with a skills shortage, due to the retirement of many experienced people, the mining industry is in need of a solution for this shortfall.
Recognizing the urgency to overcome this, Esmaeili stepped up to the challenge. The last two years involved countless hours of planning, meeting and overcoming bureaucratic hurdles; the result is a partnership with leading industry professionals and academic partners within the mining industry.
The new offerings of online professional development courses were identified as being essential to professionals in the field. The delivery of these courses is designed to be fully online and asynchronous so those enrolled can learn flexibly while continuing to work at their busy full-time job. This new set of targeted courses seems to be the right solution for the right audience.
“The global transition to a green energy economy will make huge demands on natural resources – nickel, cobalt, manganese, copper, lithium, etc.,” says Esmaeili. “At this critical time, the industry is losing essential professional skills to retirement.”
He sums up the unique and flexible online classes with, “As the mining industry strives to fulfill this demand, and achieve sustainable growth and productivity over the long term, it faces a variety of technical challenges and will require highly trained, experienced, and adaptable workforce to meet these challenges.”
The new program will offer advanced-level online courses in the areas of exploration, studies, MRMR, ESG, capital development, operations, economics, and finance. This program, taught by widely experienced top industry professionals, will provide real-world scenarios and opportunities to practice problem-solving while focusing on the challenges experienced at the operations and corporate levels.
This is a unique initiative which is able to globally train the next generation of leaders in the industry, as they address critical challenges. The first course offered for Fall 2023 is to be Exploration, Studies, Resources & Reserves. Registration begins August 1.
Watch the introduction video
By Phill Snel