Darrell Greer
Northern News Services
Rankin Inlet (May 02/01) - Ten students who took the introduction to mining program in Rankin will have a great chance of getting a job right away.
Course instructor Alan Everard says every student who passed the course will be offered a job by one of the mining companies involved in the Kivalliq Region.
The program was delivered through Arctic College at the Rankin Inlet Learning Centre.
The students also received about $250 worth of prospecting gear from the Department of Sustainable Development and all have their prospecting licences and claim tags.
"The students are all ready to go and they all know how to stake a claim," says Everard.
"They spent a week doing prospecting and three weeks learning about the mining industry."
Everard says some students have the opportunity to continue on through Arctic College into pre-trades, and a few may be selected to attended a month-long course in Iqaluit which would build upon what they've learned in Rankin.
"The students received a lot of accreditation out of this course and we really would like to thank both the Department of Education and Kivalliq Partners in Development for their help in delivering the program.
"The whole idea of the course was to create opportunities for the students and it's definitely done that."
Brian Manitok, 33, says the course taught him a lot about the mining industry.
"I found everything in the course very educational and a lot of fun to participate in. I'm looking forward to getting out there and working in the industry."
Steven Makayak, 25, says he also enjoyed the course and would recommend it to any one interested in the mining industry.
He says he's willing to go right away if he's offered a job.
"The course was interesting and I really learned a lot about the mining industry I didn't know. I especially enjoyed the video presentations we saw on the mineral deposits. They taught you a lot and were interesting."
