Lac de Gras (May 26/03) - BHP Billiton heavy equipment operator Patrick Wedawin would have had a tough time doing his job if he hadn't had the opportunity to upgrade his literacy skills.

Wedawin has been working since 1998 at the mine in Ekati, where he runs a Demag shovel.

The $12-million machine is used to load rock into the trucks. Although he had previous experience operating heavy equipment, Wedawin found he needed to learn more about digging styles and scaling techniques. Learning meant reading English, something Wedawin had trouble doing because his first language is Dogrib.

"I needed to work on my skills and upgrade my reading and writing so I could learn more about the job I have," Wedawin said from the mine.

"It holds you back from doing the things you want to do because there's lots of reading and writing."

So he signed up for the BHP's Workplace Learning program where he's been gaining the skills to excel at his job for the past year and a half.

BHP Billiton started the job tailored education program in 1999. Since then 150 BHP employees have taken everything from correspondence courses to a high school diploma and basic literacy skills.

"There's no stigma involved because learning happens at all levels of training," said adult educator Elke Heinemann.

"We do an individual assessment of all the skills for each worker ... They get so much support. Learning happens at such a fast pace."

Workers are paid while attending the school Heinemann and her fellow educators Susan Devine and Dan Machnee manage.

Heinemann said both the company and the employee benefit from the program. The entry level employees get the opportunity to move up while the company can keep a strong safety record.

After combatting their literacy or math challenges, employees can also enrol in trades programs and will get support all through their apprenticeship.

The learning goes beyond the workplace.

There's a lending library where parents can borrow children's books to take home and read to their children.

"The skills that they learn will transfer to their workplace and will instill a love for reading with their children," said Heinemann.

The pilot project even won an award.

This past year the Conference Board of Canada Workplace Learning program nominated the company for their education initiative.