TRAINING IN HARD ROCK TUNNELLING AT DINORWIC.

The article explains some of the steps that have been taken to ensure that sufficient trained tunnelers are available to enable at least 70% of the workforce at the Dinorwic pumped-storage power station project near Llanberis, North Wales, to be recruited from the surrounding area. The emphasis is on practical on-the-job training. Trainees spend the first week in the classroom and the following nine in practical training with drilling equipment, explosives, loaders and dumpers. Work at the face of the tunnel also makes a direct contribution to the project - the 3 m diam tunnel has so far been driven 480 m of its final 900 m - solely by trainees learning the skills of hard rock tunneling under the guidance of the experienced shift bosses.