Government ministers try mining simulators

College of the Rockies recently hosted government ministers Bill Bennett and Amrik Virk who tried its new haul truck simulators

1 of 4Amrik Virk, minster of advanced education, operates one of COTR's new haul truck simulators. — Kristen Mitchell photo

2 of 4Bill Bennett, minister of energy and mines, tries out a haul truck simulator at COTR in Cranbrook. — Kristen Mitchell photo

3 of 4From left, CBT community liaison Jennifer Krotz, Minister Bill Bennett, COTR president David Walls and Minister Amrik Virk. — Kristen Mitchell photo

4 of 4A recent graduate of the Haul Truck Course uses his new skills while head instructor, Darren Hood, looks on. — Kristen Mitchell photo

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With a number of graduates having already completed a newly developed four-week haul truck operator course at College of the Rockies (COTR), the educational facility was ready to show off its new haul truck simulators. Bill Bennett, minister of energy and mines, and Advanced Education Minister Amrik Virk took turns at the wheel during a recent visit to COTR.

“Haul truck simulators at the college are preparing students in the region for B.C.’s mining sector with hands-on training,” said Virk. “We expect thousands of jobs in the mining sector to open up over the next few years—particularly in the Kootenays—and we need to ensure we are training students in the right region with the right skills.”

Equipped to educate

Two simulators are installed at the college’s main campus while two others are in use at the Fernie campus. A fifth simulator is mobile, allowing the training to travel to wherever the need is. Darren Hood, lead instructor with the haul truck program, directed the ministers as they used the high-tech simulator. He pointed out that such a program benefits industry by training individuals who have a demonstrated commitment and investment in a heavy-equipment position. 

“With over 4,000 employees working at the five coal mines here and many of them approaching retirement, the opportunities for my constituents to find well-paying work with Teck Coal are excellent,” said Bennett, who is also MLA for Kootenay East. “The only hitch is that you need skills. This truck simulator is a terrific way to provide skills for a job that is in demand at the mines. Congratulations to the College of the Rockies for stepping up to provide this training.”

COTR was able to secure the simulators with funding that totalled over $2.8 million from the Province of B.C., Columbia Basin Trust and Western Economic Diversification. By providing realistic scenarios, the units prepare students for any potential situation. Simulator operators wear sensors on a hat, which allows the simulators to react to head movement. A base also tilts or bumps over simulated ramps and uneven ground.

The power of partnerships

The course runs on a monthly basis with the next intake of students scheduled for October 28, 2013. So far, graduates have been very successful in regards to attaining employment in the mining industry.

“The success of the college’s new haul truck operator training program demonstrates the power of partnerships,” said COTR president and CEO David Walls. “The funding support we received is helping to ensure our students are well prepared to enter the job market across the province.”