The BC Mining HR Task Force is a broad sector partnership involving industry, employers, labour unions, industry associations, educators, training providers, First Nations and the BC Provincial Government, a total of 22 organizations, with strong financial support from the BC Government, industry sponsorship and in-kind support. The Task Force has developed a comprehensive strategy to address current and anticipated shortages in BC’s mineral exploration and mining industry. These shortages are largely due to changing market demographics as the industry’s workforce ages and retirements rise. These challenges are compounded by declining birth rates and fewer youth entering the workforce with the relevant skills our industry so desperately needs.
A key focus area for the Task Force is to attract and recruit segments of society that could and should be better represented in our industry.
Women are one of these under-represented groups
Today, women comprise only 16% of the exploration and mining workforce in BC, well below the provincial participation rate of 62%. In the non-traditional operational areas such as trades and equipment operation the participation rate is lower at 5%. This information along with a further wealth of knowledge comes out of an extensive research study conducted by the Diversity-Women committee, and the resulting report Women: An Unmined Resource published in November 2011. From this research the strategy was developed and the committee is actively engaged in executing on initiatives that will increase the attraction, recruitment, advancement and retention of qualified women within our industry. The Diversity-Women committee is comprised of 19 industry volunteers with diverse backgrounds and extensive industry experience.
It is therefore their pleasure to introduce their inaugural newsletter that will keep you connected with these initiatives. This newsletter is planned for quarterly release and distribution and will be sent to a wide variety of stakeholders in electronic form. The newsletters will also be posted on the new BC Mining HR Task Force website www.acareerinminingbc.ca
First newsletter available here.
