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Mining Weekly reports that contrary to the expectation that it would move towards employing a higher number of skilled personnel to catalyse modernisation and mechanisation targets, the local mining industry has backtracked, employing a significant number of unskilled personnel instead.
This is according to a report compiled by Africa-focused research and analysis organisation In On Africa and HR advisory firm Managing Transformation Solutions (MTS Holdings). The ‘Mining Trends Report 2018’ was released last month to highlight the effectiveness of education and training in the local mining sector. The sample analysed comprises more than 12,000 people from more than 45 mining and core contractor companies. The move away from upskilling mining personnel and relying instead on a greater number of unskilled and low-skilled personnel contrasts with a global call for greater emphasis on upskilling workforces as the Fourth Industrial Revolution, or Industry 4.0, gains traction. But, the report points out that a significantly greater number of unskilled or low-skilled people have been employed. This is evident through the number of general workers rising from 7% in 2012 to 21% in 2017. The number of women working at mines increased by 3% from 2012 to 20% overall in 2017. However, the volumes of younger people employed have declined, from 66% in 2012 to 60% in 2017.
- Read this informative report in full at Mining Weekly
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