Ryan Montpellier Saskatchewan Mining Association Erin Mills Jamie Wolcott June 2, 2020
Presentation Overview • About MiHR • The Changing Nature of Work • Qualitative Research: • Research with Key Mining Stakeholders • Quantitative Research: • Occupational Vulnerability • Future Workforce Skills • Conclusion and Q&A
About MiHR • Mission: To lead collaboration across the Canadian mining sector to understand labour market trends, identify opportunities, and develop solutions. • Canada’s Knowledge Centre for Mining Labour Market Information • 14-person Board of Directors • 20 staff in Kanata, Ontario • Over 250 industry volunteers
MiHR’s Board of Directors
MiHR’s Strategic Pillars
Career Awareness and Diversity The Changing Nature of Work and Inclusion Initiatives • Report is a culmination of a two-year study on the changing nature of work in mining, launched in pursuit of MiHR’s vision. • Study’s primary research objective was to increase understanding of how automation, innovation and emerging technologies are impacting the workforce.
Career Awareness and Diversity Research Questions and Inclusion Initiatives The research for this report focused on four overriding questions: 1. What new technologies are currently being introduced in the sector? 2.Who will be disrupted by these new technologies? 3. How will skills requirements change as result? 4. What can mining stakeholders do to better prepare for these changes?
Qualitative Research I. Research with Key Mining Stakeholders
Career Awareness and Diversity Research with Mining Stakeholders – Methodology and Inclusion Initiatives A qualitative study involving the participation of 125 Canadian mining stakeholders who have direct, relevant knowledge of the Canadian mining context. MiHR conducted interviews, an online survey, a focus group, case studies, and validation sessions to capture a broad spectrum of views and expertise. The report also includes a comprehensive review of the literature on the impact of digital innovations on the mining industry, both globally and in Canada.
Career Awareness and Diversity Key Findings from the Literature and Inclusion Initiatives • Pace of adoption and implementation slow and uneven – peak over next 10-15 years. Job loss will occur as a result of new technologies, but will also result in the • creation of new jobs - development, observation, servicing and maintenance of remotely controlled and autonomous equipment, and in data processing and process analysis. • Automation will likely reduce the number of operational jobs (train and truck driving, drilling, and blasting) - these areas currently constitute over 70% of mining employment in Canada.
Research with Mining Stakeholders - Key Findings Them eme 1 - Changi ging N g Nature e of of Wor ork in in Min inin ing Stron ong incentive ves to i imple lement n new w tec echnol olog ogies: • Increased worker health and safety; • Increased productivity; • Cost reduction / improved competitiveness; • Strengthened environmental sustainability. Perceived chang nges to mi mini ning ng work k as a result of imp mplement ntation: n: • Mixed views on job loss or gains - most jobs will be affected; • Some reluctance/resistance by both companies and employees to the adoption of new technologies; • Opportunities and challenges for diverse groups (youth, Indigenous, women, those with disabilities); • Rate of adoption is mixed.
Career Awareness and Diversity Research with Mining Stakeholders - Key Findings and Inclusion Initiatives Them eme 1 - Changi ging N g Nature e of of Wor ork in in Min inin ing “Technology is a cost saver, a health and safety issue, an improved monitoring issue, better use of information issue, and a performance issue”. “Technologies will not necessarily provoke a reduction in the workforce, but a fundamental change within it”. “There is a huge risk of miscommunication when a new technology is adopted and there needs to be buy in from employees for successful implementation”. “Leveraging these technologies could increase the number of well-educated and skilled people interested in mining work.”
Career Awareness and Diversity Research with Mining Stakeholders – Key Findings and Inclusion Initiatives The Theme 2 2 - Increa easin ing S Skills lls R Requir irem emen ents • Lifelong learning and training is key; • New technologies may increase access to employment for some workers and may negatively impact others; • “Gamification” of mining and the ability to work off site will attract younger, more technically-savvy and diverse workers; • Future workforce needs to be adaptable and flexible; • Increased need for both soft skills and technical skills.
Career Awareness and Diversity Research with Mining Stakeholders – Key Findings and Inclusion Initiatives Them eme 2 - Increasing g Skills ills R Req equir irements “Understanding and working with new technologies will require skills to evolve. New roles will be created, including those that do not exist yet and our understanding of technologies and awareness of how we apply them will be critical”. “Innovative changes are good for diversity – it broadens the approach to diversify talent, and allows us to attract new people with new skills and open up the workforce”. “We need curious people, wanting to learn, to maintain and grow their knowledge and embrace innovative and new technologies”.
Career Awareness and Diversity Case Study Highlights and Inclusion Initiatives • In 2019, MiHR visited two Canadian mine sites and one training facility − Agnico Eagle ( LaRonde Zone 5), Anaconda (Point Rousse Project), and NORCAT − to learn more about their digital innovations and related training programs. • These three firms recognize the need for enhanced technological capacity as the pathway to a sustainable mining future. Highlights include: • Agnico Eagle’s piloting of autonomous vehicles underground and related training for control room operators. • Anaconda’s implementation of Sustainable Mining by Drilling and development of the Anaconda University training platform. • NORCAT’s advanced simulation training centre – where operators can “sit in the driver’s seat” of various mining machines in order to be trained efficiently and economically.
Quantitative Research I. Occupational Vulnerability Identifying Who Is at Risk II. Future Workforce Skills Anticipating the Skillsets Needed in the Future of Mining
I. Occupational Vulnerability Identifying Who is at Risk
Career Awareness and Diversity Motivations for LMI and Inclusion Initiatives What’s the Challenge? Effects of technological innovation are unclear; decision-makers need help to make informed decisions. Pros: Health and Safety • • Cost Reduction • Productivity • Environmental Sustainability The degree of disruption is uncertain: • Innovation can partially or fully replace workers by taking over their tasks. Innovation can also introduce new job responsibilities. • • New tech requires new skills demand for labour will depend on skillset. • New positions will open up, while others may close. • The workforce’s ability to adapt is still a question mark. The timing of disruption is uncertain: • The pace of adoption of innovation is an important determinant of disruption. Difficult to predict how quickly the new wave of innovation will impact the workforce. •
Career Awareness and Diversity Motivations for LMI and Inclusion Initiatives How do we address this challenge? LMI can help identify which workers will face the biggest challenges, and who is likely to face them first. We do this with a composite score that gauges occupational vulnerability. MiHR’s O Occupa pation onal V l Vulner erabilit ility I Index ( (MOVI) I) 1. Points to segments of the labour pool that would most benefit from resources. 2. Allows us to rank mining occupations by vulnerability, and to understand which specific factors/vulnerabilities most affect these workers.
Career Awareness and Diversity MiHR’s Occupational Vulnerability Index and Inclusion Initiatives What makes an occupation vulnerable? Themes Sub-Themes Scope of Innovation Technological Disruption Pace of Innovation: Incentives for Disruption Occupational Vulnerability Pace of Innovation: Social and Regulatory Obligations Transferability of Skills Worker Adaptability Geographic Mobility
Career Awareness and Diversity MiHR’s Occupational Vulnerability Index and Inclusion Initiatives What makes an occupation vulnerable? Themes Sub-Themes Scope of Innovation Technological Disruption Pace of Innovation: Incentives for Disruption Occupational Vulnerability Pace of Innovation: Social and Regulatory Obligations Transferability of Skills Worker Adaptability Geographic Mobility
Recommend
More recommend
