Inspiring Ontario’s youth toward an exciting career in mining

The Ontario mining industry stands at the forefront of a generational opportunity where the pursuit of valuable minerals intertwines with the high-tech and low-carbon demands of the 21st century. The global shift towards renewable energy and electric vehicles magnifies the significance of Ontario’s mining potential, a geopolitically secure region with low-carbon energy supply and a long history of mining. The province’s abundance of critical minerals positions it as a key player in the clean technology supply chain, attracting investment interest across the entire supply chain spectrum – from players in the auto industry through to U.S. military. Through its critical minerals strategy released in 2022, Ontario has great ambition to be “the” global supplier of choice for a net-zero future.

Paramount to achieving this ambition is a skilled and diverse workforce. The lack of a robust pipeline of future works has been identified as a key challenge for the major producers in Ontario, who have given the Ontario Mining Association (OMA) a mandate to embark on a reputation-building campaign that dispels myths and misconceptions that are turning young people away from a career in mining.

A generational challenge matched with a generational opportunity

The mining industry in Ontario faces a stark reality: one in four miners is set to retire and nearly 50% of skilled engineers are reaching retirement age in the next decade, just as the World Bank estimates a nearly 500% increase in supply of critical minerals – by 2050 – to specifically feed the clean energy transition. This juxtaposition has created a perfect storm.

In 2023, the OMA collaborated with the Ontario Labour Market Partnerships (OLMP) to better understand the situation through a “labour market assessment.” The study found that it is difficult to find candidates to fill critical skilled roles because of high retirement rates in senior positions and those with the most demanding requirements. This is further exacerbated by growth in the demand for certified occupations, but the supply of these certified workers has not kept up, and trade qualifications have been stable or declining. The availability and enrolment in mining-related courses at post-secondary institutions are also on the decline. Mining courses exist as a part of post-secondary education but are not available in all regions in the province, and enrollment has been declining, or the courses are no longer offered to the same degree as in the past. Post-secondary programs are also not seen to be catering to the industry’s evolving skill requirements driven by technological innovations, particularly the increasing need for technical and automation skills.

The study also identified two challenges we are well-aware of in the industry. The geographic remoteness of mining operations complicates recruitment efforts, and outdated perceptions of mining are a significant impediment. To cultivate a next-generation skilled workforce, it reiterated the tremendous need to share information and have real conversations about modern mining and what it is like to live in the northern areas of our province.

At the OMA, we are active in our efforts to reshape perceptions of mining and help attract a diverse talent pool. Through collective action, public engagement, and a dynamic campaign, we hope to inspire the youth in Ontario today to consider an exciting career in mining. Our “This is Mine Life” campaign leverages our successful “This is Mining” brand, transitioning from a Millennial target audience to Gen Z – the next generation of the workforce. Recognizing that Gen Z is less trusting of traditional media and advertizing, the campaign aims to meet our audience where they live, study, and play. Our campaign has also shifted toward residents in central and northern Ontario, where polling data shows they are more likely to consider a career in mining.

Online platforms for the early career journey

To reach our audience where they live, study, and play inevitably means spending a great deal of time online. We are excited to be working with Edge Factor to produce and distribute “This is Mine Life” content. Together, we have produced high-impact media that showcases the stories of people working in mining: their careers, the soft skills they need, and the technologies they use. Edge Factor uses the power of cinematic storytelling to take students and job seekers on a journey from “I have no idea what I want to do with my life” to discovering industries, careers, technical education, specialist high skills major and postsecondary programs, soft skills, STEAM (science, technology, engineering, art, and math) , and local opportunities. In collaboration with Mining Matters and Impala Canada, the Edge Factor film crew went behind the scenes at the LDI Mine in northwestern Ontario to film an Industry Tour, and episodes for their various streaming series: Launch Point, Career Profile videos, Skilled Responders, and Geek Out on Tools & Equipment.

President and founder, Jeremy Bout, expresses his enthusiasm about the collaboration, stating, “The team at Edge Factor is excited to partner with the mining industry in Ontario to connect in a new and exciting way that inspires the next generation of mining professionals to find passion in what they do.”

Young people, their families, and their educators are sharing this programming in classrooms, homes, and at events. Students and learners can create an account and complete the online experiences to learn valuable skills that will move them forward in their career journey.

We encourage you to check out the “This is Mine Life” section of the Edge Factor platform:

The first place students find jobs and connect with employers in Canada

We are also excited to be partnering with Talent Egg to build the online “hub” of our “This is Mine Life campaign.” TalentEgg.ca is Canada’s most popular job site and online career resource for students and recent graduates. Since 2008, Talent Egg has helped millions of students and recent grads hatch their careers, and worked with hundreds of Canadian employers to successfully attract top talent to join their organizations. The “This Is Mine Life” website on Talent Egg provides users with a range of different resources to support their career journey. It educates users about the purpose of mining, tells real stories about mine life, links users to career opportunities from across OMA members, provides details on scholarships, and more! Please check out our hub on Talent Egg and we welcome all job postings to link up with us on this site.

A first trip underground!

One of the key goals of the “This is Mine Life” campaign is to address negative or false perceptions of mining in Ontario in the minds of the future potential workforce across the province. We know the biggest influencers in their lives are their parents and teachers. With this in mind, we launched the fourth season of our award winning “This is Mining: The Podcast,” with a renewed focus on mine life.

“This is Mining: The Podcast” explores stories of human transformation connected to Ontario’s mining industry and how mining is tackling the most pressing challenges facing our generation. The podcast takes a deep dive into what mine life means: a life boldly driving our modern world forward, by delivering the metals and minerals that make everything possible. In partnership with Amber Mac, an entrepreneur, bestselling author, blogger, keynote speaker, and podcast/TV/radio host, the podcast offers a fresh perspective on the role of mining in our lives and in our province.

Throughout season four, we focus on the most important resource on Earth: people. In episode one, the modern economist, Todd Hirsh, helps us understand the current labour shortage in Canada and how we can talk to young people about their futures. And Veronica Knott, a young mining engineer, reflects on how she found her passion and home in Canada’s mining industry.

The second episode dives into how the perceptions and misperceptions of mining today reflect the realities on the ground (and underground). Amber Mac chats with Ryan Montpellier, the executive director of the Mining Industry Human Resources Council, and Cara Rockwood, an environmental scientist who is pursuing a career in mining and challenging her peers (and even professors!) to think of mining as an environmental field.

The third episode addresses the existing stigma around the skilled trades. Monte McNaughton, the former Minister of Labour, Immigration, Training, and Skills Development in Ontario, discusses how it is important for young people across Ontario to know that careers in the skilled trades are meaningful, well-paying, and in-demand. Kendra Liinamaa, a young millwright working at a nickel mine in Sudbury, reflects on how she personally overcame her own stigma to pursue her own career.

During episode four, Dawn Madahbee Leach, the chair of the National Indigenous Economic Development Board, talks about the power of resource development partnerships and careers as a route to prosperity and reconciliation for Indigenous Peoples. Clyde Moonias, a member of the Neskantaga First Nation, talks about how he is embarking on his career “close to home” as the health, safety and environment coordinator at Wyloo’s Esker site in northern Ontario.

Our final episode of the season sees Amber Mac take her first ever trip underground at a mine in Sudbury. Along this exciting visit underground, Amber connects with Shawn Sauve, a mobile equipment specialist; Alex Mulloy, a carbon specialist; and Christiane Gasteiger, an integrated remote operating centre superintendent – all at Vale Base Metals. NORCAT’s very own tech entrepreneur and mining futurist Don Duval makes a cameo in this episode too!

An opportunity gap identified

Last February, the OMA commissioned Ipsos to conduct an online omnibus poll which revealed that 37% of Ontario youth would consider a career in mining. When segmenting the data, there was increased interest in northern Ontario (46%); southwest Ontario (45%), and in central Ontario (38%). And almost two-thirds of youth polled agreed that the government of Ontario should do more to promote the role of mining in the province and the job opportunities that exist in the sector.

We are collaborating with the government and working hard to make sure those 1.1 million youth across our province are aware of the wide variety of occupations available in our sector – occupations that align with young people’s values, given that they are essential to produce low-carbon energy solutions. We are demonstrating how mining in Ontario meets and exceeds the highest environmental standards, how the industry is technologically advanced, and building a legacy a positive net benefit to host communities. An industry where representation matters, and where every voice is heard and respected.

Through the collaborative efforts of industry stakeholders, government support, and the enthusiasm of the next generation, Ontario’s mining sector will overcome the workforce challenges and emerge as a global leader in responsible, innovative, and modern practices. This is not just a campaign; it is a vision for a thriving and dynamic future for mining in Ontario.