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YPC promotes mining, metallurgy studies to learners

4th May 2018

By: Donald Makhafola

Creamer Media Reporter

     

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The Southern African Institute of Mining and Metallurgy (SAIMM) junior organisation the Young Professionals Council (YPC) is campaigning to attract high school learners to the mining and minerals industry, as well as influencing institutions of higher education to nurture students to successfully complete their studies and become “graduates of note”.

“The YPC, through its Education Working Group, visits various high schools throughout the country to promote the fields of studies related to the minerals industry to learners, and work in collaboration with various organisations, such as the Sci-Bono Discovery Centre, in Johannesburg,” says YPC chairperson Sihesenkosi Nhleko.

He highlights that, since 2015, the Education Working Group has been actively participating in career guidance expos for high school learners, conducting fundraising for the SAIMM Scholarship Trust Fund for university students studying mining and metallurgy, and holding regular soft-skills development workshops in the universities to develop professionalism.

“The aim of the YPC is to sustainably empower young professionals in the minerals industry to contribute to the profession and society,” Nhleko emphasises to Mining Weekly.

To further ensure that the students studying in the mining and metallurgy field are not lost to other industries and to sustain the interest of high school learners in the field, Nhleko says the YPC has established platforms in various institutions of higher education, offering mineral industry-related qualifications to cater for undergraduate students.

“Workshops and conferences, such as the Career & Leadership Conference focused on professional development, aim at preparing students for the workplace in industry.”

He says that, in addition, the YPC hosts yearly student colloquiums where the students present their study projects and the winning projects are published in the April edition of the SAIMM Journal.

Nhleko points out that the council further encourages entrepreneurship in the minerals industry, as well as research and development activities to improve scientific knowledge and innovation.

“We also have an objective to influence companies to develop and support the skills training and mentoring programmes that will continuously develop young graduates in the mining and minerals industry,” he concludes.

Edited by Mia Breytenbach
Creamer Media Deputy Editor: Features

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