In an effort to include nontechnical, or soft skills, as part of its new approach to education in mining engineering, the University of Pretoria’s Department of Mining Engineering reports it is currently in the final stage of converting all its undergraduate paper-based mining subjects to instructionally designed modules. These modules will consist of electronic, interactive course notes including videos, animations, photos, mouse-overs and cross-links to improve students’ abilities to acquire and apply their knowledge of the mining industry.
The inclusion of nontechnical skills, which are currently being incorporated as part of the curriculum for the mining subjects, will assist students in better understanding the complexities of mining and can improve their chances of success in the industry.