An Australia Ministerial media statement announces that more than 15 000 people are expected to attend the Skills West Expo in Perth August 19-21, which will promote in-demand occupations such as mining, construction, health, education, finance, entertainment and recreation.

“The expo will showcase these occupations by providing a direct link to companies and educational institutions,” [Development Minister] Mr. Collier said. “It will prove ideal for students starting their careers or people looking to make a change through training and education.” With more than $225billion worth of resource or infrastructure projects either committed to or under consideration in WA, there is a clear need for skilled workers in a wide range of industries and occupations.

The University of Alaska has acquired a Thoroughtec simulator to help students train in its underground mining program, reports Mineweb.

The University of Alaska Southeast's goal is to develop a world-class training center that meets the workforce training needs of the mining industry by providing high quality, accessible training for both new and experienced miners. The simulator will be housed at the UA Center for Mine Training, located in Juneau's UAS Technical Education Center and will have the ability to train students in modules fully representing an articulated haul truck (CAT ADT 45B), load haul dump truck (Atlas Copco ST14) and bolter (Atlas Copco Boltec MC).

Australian Mining reports: a new Australian government partnership with the mining industry focussing on education, employment and business development is working towards developing opportunities for indigenous Australians.

“The size of Queensland’s resource sector will ensure Indigenous Australians have access to real job opportunities and skills that are transferable in an industry in need of skilled workers,” [says Mark Arbib, minister for indigenous employment and economic development].

With not enough new engineers and tradesmen, and a high retirement rate, BC's mining industry is facing a severe shortage of skilled labour, say mine managers and industry reps, Ash-Cache-Journal reports.

It’s a situation that is going to worsen in the years ahead if something isn’t done to raise some interest in the career opportunities right across the board and creating attractive nearby communities in which workers will want to live and raise their families.

There will be a mine and occupational health and safety seminar presented by Brink Cohen Le Roux at the Gallagher Convention Centre on September 7, 2011. For more information, see the announcement from Technews.

Abhisam Software reports that it has launched its Hazard and Operability Study Technique course (HAZOP), a risk assessment tool for safety and operability in processing and industrial plants.

The HAZOP e-learning course is a blend of text, interactive animations and simulations using real life actual examples from industry, videos and graphics that enable easy understanding of the technique.

The Industrial Minerals Association - North America (IMA-NA) is presenting a webinar on Thursday, August 4th entitled Workplace Wellness Programs - Legal and Safety Issues.

Many companies are starting to develop and implement "workplace wellness" programs, on either a voluntary or mandatory basis for employees. There are many benefits to these programs, from insurance savings to accident reduction. However, there are also legal concerns to consider. This webinar will outline how to develop and implement successful workplace wellness programs for your "industrial athletes" and also help you understand how such programs can raise issues involving OSHA, MSHA, worker's compensation, and employment laws, and strategies for limiting legal liability.

The Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO), the University of Chile, and the Chile International Centre of Excellence in Mining and Minerals Processing have created a new mining research centre based in Santiago, Chile, reports Australian Mining.

Australian Minister for Skills, Jobs and Workplace Relations, Senator Chris Evans, launched a new virtual reality mine training and rescue simulator today at the Newcastle Mines Rescue Station in Argenton, New south Wales, Australian Labor reports.

“This amazing new software demonstrates how technology can be used to train people for the very critical task of mine rescue,” Senator Evans said. “While we would hope workers will never need to have to use these skills, or encounter mine accidents, it is reassuring to know that companies are investing in initiatives for the safety of Australian miners.” Developed by Coal Services, the world-leading software package has been developed over the past 18 months and is the latest stage of a five-year project.

Mining Weekly: the Mining Industry Human Resources Council (MiHR) says that 100 000 people will be needed by 2020 to meet anticipated production in the mining industry in Canada, and there aren't enough students in mining training to meet the need.

MiHR executive director Ryan Montpellier explains that, during the global econo- mic downturn, students struggled to find employment and turned to other programmes. “However, by the time they graduate, the recruitment cycle has progressed and jobs are often available. Labour market intelli- gence is, therefore, a key source of information that needs to be communicated to prospective students and postsecondary educational institutions,” he says.

The Yorkshire Post reports that the health and safety training provider SHE Knows has expanded its reach to encompass markets in Asia, South America, Europe and Africa.

The company provides a suite of health and safety training services, including NVQ Level-3 to 5 in occupational health and safety, first aid, fire-fighting and confined space awareness, and safety passports for the petrochemical industry. “We are a one-stop shop for any business, large or small, looking for health and safety training and are fully experienced in all UK and international markets,” added [managing director] Mrs Crossland-Clarke, who founded the company in 2003...

Mineweb has announced that the Australian federal government will be adjusting its immigration laws to help various industries, including mining, in Western Australia have access to more semi-skilled workers to fill their skills gap.

Immigration Minister Chris Bowen said he would widen a regional migration scheme designed to make recruitment of semi-skilled foreign workers faster and less restrictive to include the West Australian capital Perth. "The simple fact is that there will not be enough Australian workers to get the job done," Bowen said.