Students outside the Centre of Sustainability and Mining held within the School of Mining Engineering at the University of the Witwatersrand
3 August 2015 – Johannesburg: The Centre for Sustainability in Mining and Industry (CSMI) will once again be offering a range of insightful short courses from August – November 2015. Aimed at adding value to mining companies, government regulators and non-governmental organisations, the high-impact, practical nature of the courses also assists develop participants’ careers.
Kicking off in August the Safety, Health, Environment and Community Systems short course will be offered to those interested in obtaining a postgraduate qualification with the intention to specialise in the area of sustainable development and environmental management. Participants will gain an understanding of the theory and concepts relating to systems thinking, and examine SHEC management systems and their application within different business contexts. The NQF Level 9 five-day course runs from 3-5 August 2015 and will be presented by Ingrid Watson and Dirk Bakker. Watson leads CSMI’s environment programme while Bakker is a senior lecturer and project manager at CSMI.
In September, the NQF 6 five-day short course on Community Relations Practice: context, situation and community profiling will run from 7-11 September 2015. This course is part of a programme of four courses that will help professionalise community relations practitioners. Appealing to community leaders and practitioners, the course will be presented by Allison McCallum and Noleen Dube. McCallum is a social scientist with 18 years’ experience in the extractive industry (mining, oil and gas) while Dube is an operations officer with extensive experience in program management. This will equip participants with the knowledge and tools to better understand and respond to the complex factors influencing community and social issues.
Also in September, the CSMI will offer the Principles of Mine Occupational Hygiene for Non-specialists short course (NQF level 6). Aimed at individuals employed in regulatory positions or those who contribute to the regulatory environment, participants will be equipped with operational responsibilities in the mining industry, where a basic knowledge of the principles of mine ventilation and occupational hygiene practices will be covered. Taking place from 14-18 September 2015, the course will be presented by Andreas Stockhusen who has 42 years’ experience in the mining industry.
Developing and maintaining stakeholder relations is an NQF 6 level course which takes place from 2 – 6 November 2015. Aimed at community relations practitioners within Africa from extractive industry operations, governments, NGOs, trade unions, community-based organisations and development organisations, the course will explore factors influencing stakeholder relations and engagement at a global, African and local level.
“Our short courses are aimed at enhancing the participants’ knowledge while sharing industry insights by experts who have extensive experience in their fields. The courses also offer a unique opportunity to network with course facilitators,” said course coordinator at CSMI, Lileen Lee.
The CSMI receives valuable feedback from participants on how they have been able to use the knowledge obtained from the short courses offered by the CSMI in the workplace. “It also allows us to ensure our short courses deliver on what the marketplace needs and that they remain relevant,” concluded Lee.
About the CSMI: www.wits.ac.za/csmi
Housed within the Wits School of Mining Engineering, The Centre for Sustainability in Mining and Industry (CSMI) provides short courses and qualifications at certificate and MSc level and undertakes applied research, focusing on health and safety, environmental stewardship, and socio-economic development. It provides an independent space for conversation among peers on how to manage mining development responsibly. At the heart of sustainability is the need for integration of different disciplines to solve complex problems and balance trade-offs. The Centre acts as a bridge between academia and practitioners.