Process of Establishing a Corporate University Division with Mandatory Training Functions

Providing remote production sites with qualified personnel is one of the primary challenges for the mining and metallurgical industry. The specifics of the rotational work method, the shortage of specialized professionals in the regions of operation, and the formalistic approach of external training centers to issuing certifications often result in employees arriving at facilities unprepared for independent and safe work. Under these conditions, creating an internal educational infrastructure becomes not just an HR initiative, but a critical factor for operational safety.

This presentation provides a detailed look at the process of establishing a separate division of the Corporate University of Russian Copper Company (RMK) at the Amur Minerals facility (Malmyzh deposit in the Khabarovsk Territory). Elena Mayorova analyzes the project's prerequisites, the structure of educational tracks, and the mechanisms for interaction between the training center and production units.

Prerequisites for Establishing a Dedicated Training Center

The decision to localize the mandatory training function directly in the Far East was driven by several systemic problems faced by the enterprise:

• High turnover of rotational staff. The rotational method is traditionally accompanied by personnel rotation, which requires a continuous flow of adaptation and training for newcomers.
• The problem of "formal certifications." Analysis showed that many newly hired workers arrive with certificates obtained from external centers merely as a formality. In practice, they lack the stated competencies and knowledge of specific equipment and technologies, which critically increases the adaptation period.
• Production scaling. The enterprise's strategy involves doubling the headcount by 2026 (from 1,500 to over 3,000 people).
• Lack of targeted training in the region. Local educational institutions lacked mechanisms for training specialists to meet the narrow requirements of a specific mining and processing operation.

Three Training Tracks for Production Personnel

To meet the enterprise's needs, the training center developed a system that all new employees must undergo. The process is divided into three main tracks:

1. Training for Novices Without a Trade

Candidates without specialized education are hired under an apprenticeship contract for auxiliary worker positions. Training includes an introductory briefing, a welcome session (company history and technologies), as well as parallel study of occupational safety requirements and trade certification. The theoretical base is reinforced by practice at the production site under the guidance of a mentor. The process concludes with a qualification exam at the future workplace.

2. Qualification and Adaptation for Skilled Specialists

This track is designed for those who formally possess documents but require additional training. After hiring, they complete a block on occupational safety and study the nuances of specific equipment and technologies used at the plant or in the quarry. Following an internship with a mentor, an assessment is conducted, the protocol of which serves as authorization for independent work.

3. Training in Related Trades

To increase the value and efficiency of existing employees, training in additional skills is implemented. A unique feature of this approach is that issues of occupational safety, fire safety, and environmental protection are integrated into the program specifically for the trade and the area (quarry, plant) where the specialist will work.

Infrastructure and Training Methodology

A specialized material and technical base was created to implement these programs. The standard layout of the training space includes two adjacent classrooms: one for theoretical lessons and the other for practical training with computers and training simulators.

Special attention is paid to high-risk work. The center is equipped with an indoor training ground for practicing skills related to working at heights and in confined spaces (CSE). Additionally, an outdoor training ground 6.2 meters high is installed for training during the spring-summer period. It is important to note that not only staff employees but also personnel from contractor organizations must pass through this infrastructure, which ensures a unified safety standard across the entire enterprise.

The approach to forming training groups is also interesting: specialists are grouped not by formal criteria, but by the similarity of the technological process (for example, mill operators are trained together with flotation control room operators), as they work in a single chain in production.

Interaction with Production and HR

One of the most pressing issues in corporate training is remuneration during the long training period (up to 20-21 days) and the shortage of workers on-site. The speaker notes that the system is fully coordinated with the recruitment service and production management. The position of the plant directors is clear: it is better to wait a few weeks and get a fully trained specialist than to allow an "unfinished" worker to operate complex equipment, which could provoke an accident.

The success of the training center also largely depends on the profile of its head. In this case, synergy is achieved because the center is led by a person with ten years of production experience who also holds an academic degree and teaching experience.

What You Will Learn from This Presentation:

• How to legally and financially structure long-term training for new employees so that it is beneficial for both the worker and the company?
• How to build a filter and a supplementary training system for candidates arriving with "purchased" certificates?
• What is the most effective principle for forming training groups for production personnel?
• How to integrate contractor organization employees into a unified corporate training matrix?
• What infrastructure and training grounds are necessary for high-quality practice of safe work skills at heights and in confined spaces?