Blended learning is crucial to operator retention

One of the challenges faced by mines today is attracting and retaining people, especially in geographically remote areas. In a labor constricted market, mines typically experience high turnover, because operators they have trained can be easily enticed away by other properties willing to pay a higher wage. The problem is exacerbated by the retirement of aging workers and a shortage of younger people to replace them. What's the solution to this challenge? Employees want to work for organizations that invest in them and help them improve and grow in their work. That's why blended learning is at least part of the solution to this labor crisis. Better trained employees tend to feel more valued, and are thus more likely to stay. One large mine that is piloting VISTA Training's new TruckLogic™ haul truck operator curriculum has told us that the program's approach to blended learning is a key tool in helping them keep up with the turnover in operators - and hopefully, longer term, in helping to reduce it. At this early stage in their implementation of TruckLogic™, this comprehensive curriculum is already helping the mine manage its training personnel and training costs. The labor crisis in the mining industry shows no signs of abating, and is likely to get worse as mines that were dormant during the global recession begin to come back online in the next few years. That means mines will need all the tools they can find to help control employee turnover and to attract new hires to drive future growth.