Driller-helper trainees graduate
Eleven tradesmen now certified to work on mine sites thanks to Northern College program
Candace Thomson
Northern News Services
Published Wednesday, July 2, 2014
ARVIAT
Eleven men from the Kivalliq region now have the skills to work as a surface diamond driller assistant thanks to a course provided at Northern College in Arviat.
The men took an eight-week course which taught skills with the help of seasoned instructors to prepare the students for work on a mine site. In the three years the program has been running, there have been 53 graduates, according to Roseanna Alareak, the training centre's co-ordinator.
Rene Aggark, one of the graduates this year, says the course helped him add to the skills he already has as a welder. He starts employment at Agnico's Meadowbank mine site next week.
"They informed me that I'll be working on the long-term job and it'll be two weeks in and two weeks out, and I'll be taking two jobs as a welder and a job with the drilling," Aggark said.
"It was great to graduate with the surface diamond drilling, especially since I have seven boys and three girls and a beautiful wife I have to support and I knew right away I'll get better income."
Thomas Aniksak, another graduate of the program and one of Aggark's classmates, doesn't have a job lined up yet but said he hopes to land one soon.
"I'm trying to apply to do drilling in the mine sites anywhere in Nunavut," Aniksak said. "Anywhere I can find a drill job I'll take it as long as it's a drilling work. I can go anywhere as long as the company will accept me."
Aniksak said he took the course because he likes to learn new things and experience what mine workers do.
"I didn't know there were so many things to do, not only drilling but other things like hoses, and drill bits and those sort of things ... there were a lot of different things we had to learn," he said.
The instructors taught us a lot and they talked about how to move or use tools and how to work around the job site."
The course was provided in English, but Aggark said the students helped each other in Inuktitut if there was ever a word they didn't understand. He said both the students and the teachers were driven and wanting to work together.
"The instructors were really helpful and really eager to teach Inuit and they had so much faith and love towards Inuit," Aggark said. "That's why they came here to teach Inuit about surface diamond drilling."
Aggark also said he wanted to thank his instructor Robin Hood and his assistant Darren Paul for teaching the students.
"A teacher who walks in the temple amongst his followers gives not of his own wisdom but of his faith and love," he said.
Aniksak also said he wanted to thank the instructors and congratulate his classmates on working so hard.
"I hope all the students go to do work on the mines soon," he said.
The course is sponsored by the Hamlet of Arviat, Agnico Eagle Mines Ltd., the Kivalliq Mine Training Society, among other partners, and paid for by Arviat-based group Kivalliq Partners in Development.
