Monday Forum and Panel Session

Mining has grown increasingly reliant on workers with specialized skills. As the industry has matured and become more technologically advanced, the need for workers with post-secondary education (PSE) has become increasingly important. A robust pipeline of qualified and skilled workers is needed to support expansion, avoid ongoing labour shortages and ensure the sector’s sustainability and competitiveness. Yet, Canada’s mining talent pipeline is shrinking. There’s been a significant decline in mining-related post-secondary program enrolment, and mining continues to struggle to attract and retain youth and equity deserving groups. Youth continue to hold negative perceptions of the sector and its careers, and hiring challenges are intensified by rural and remote mine locations.

This forum and panel will highlight findings from recent Mining Industry Human Resources Council (MiHR) labour market research that show how mining has struggled to attract youth and diversify its labour pool. The panel will include academic and industry HR leaders who are on the front lines of attracting and recruiting a workforce in a competitive landscape.

White Paper

Following the event, MiHR staff will capture the notes and remarks to produce a white paper that summarizes the key takeaways from the panel and the group discussions. The white paper will shed light on the key issues and provide recommendations for a path forward.