DEVELOPMENT OF HUMAN-RESOURCES FOR THE MINERAL INDUSTRIES - THE SUPPLY-SIDE - TECHNICAL SCHOOL AND UNIVERSITY GRADUATES

In this paper the author presents the results of the 1992 CIM survey of graduates in minerals and technology programs in Canadian post-secondary institutions. As usual the trends are out-of-phase with the economic state of the industry. People who chase a minerals career in the prosperous days of the late 1980s are now entering a labour market in recession. The cyclical nature of enrollments is illustrated in a series of figures showing the trends since the CIM survey was begun in 1956 (and even earlier for mining engineering). In the survey, the respondents were asked to provide comments on their perceptions of the problems specific to minerals education in Canada. The large number of responses have led the author to the conclusions and recommendations given in the final part of the paper.