Investing in Tomorrow Today
A shortage of skilled labour isn’t unique to Goldcorp, but our approach to meeting the challenge is capturing attention. Goldcorp supports several post-secondary programs in Canada and abroad that develop sharp minds and open new horizons. A recent case study by Deloitte concluded that “Approximately 40% of the resource extraction industry’s workforce [is] at least 50 years old, and one third [is] expected to retire by 2022...mining companies need to innovate and hire long-term talent in order to be successful over the next decade.” 1
One of the ways Goldcorp promotes innovative thinking and career diversity is by supporting the University of British Columbia’s ‘Professorship in Women in Engineering’ which empowers females to excel in the field. “Goldcorp’s commitment to developing our people is one way to create a competitive advantage,” says Maryse Belanger, Senior Vice President Technical Services. “Programs that promote diversity and technical excellence are a logical step as we look to address the looming skills shortage in our business. This is also well aligned with our aim to create social and economic benefits in the communities where we operate.”
At the University of Victoria, where curricula emphasizes social and environmental sustainability, Goldcorp supports the Gustavson School of Business Centre for Social and Sustainable Innovation (CSSI). Associate Director Heather Ranson says Goldcorp’s involvement brings invaluable global scope and perspective. “Goldcorp's donation to the CSSI has made it possible for us to engage with and learn from some really interesting people. Just in the past couple of months, for example, we've hosted a showcase of international development projects for our faculty and students. All of the events drew diverse crowds, and let us share stories of good work and best practices in communities around the world. And we have lots of ideas and plans for continuing the conversations.”
Most recently, Goldcorp announced support for Dalhousie University’s Mineral Resource Engineering program to establish the Goldcorp Professorship in Mineral Engineering; a new professorship that will increase teaching capacity, expand program breadth and provide more opportunities for students.
Alliances with top academic institutions like these are just some of the ways in which Goldcorp is investing in the cultivation of talent and career potential today to create the leaders and mentors of tomorrow.
1 Deloitte, Tracking the Trends of 2014
