Mining for the future of industry Mining and Petroleum Training Service, Alaska EXCEL focus on educating the next generation
Contributed Photos by Martha Peck
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BY MARTHA PECK
0C.07>SL]POaLW`P^L]P]PʮPN_PO_S]Z`RSLX`_`LW commitment to excellence, meeting common goals while honoring shared values, and more important, remaining committed while making a positive con- _]TM`_TZYLYOOTʬP]PYNPPaP]dOLd These students don’t have the opportunities urban ^_`OPY_^L]PLʬZ]OPO_SP]PL]PQPbZ[_TZY^QZ]LYd - _STYRMPdZYOML^TNPO`NL_TZYTY]`]LW,WL^VL0C.07 students are the youngest cohorts of students to earn NP]_TʭNL_P^ZQNZX[WP_TZYQ]ZX_SP8,;?>[]ZR]LX thanks to the creative thinking of the directors of ,WL^VL0C.07LYO8,;?> ?SP YZY[]Zʭ_ Z]RLYTeL_TZY ,WL^VL 0C.07 SL^ _LVPYZY_SPNSLWWPYRPZQZʬP]TYR^_`OPY_^Z[[Z]_` - YT_dLYOTYXLVTYRLOTʬP]PYNPTY_SPWTaP^ZQdZ`_S in more than 30 rural villages. Beginning with 7th graders and working up _S]Z`RS]PNPY_STRS^NSZZWR]LO`L_P^0C.07L]]LYR - es opportunities to not only enhance their education, but to help them bring out the best of each individ- ual. With strict guidelines around personal habits (alcohol, tobacco, and drugs are strictly forbidden) students can focus on academics and trades. In this instance, the students focused on surface mining. The course starts with some rigorous training in safety. The trades are a culture of safety and XTYTYRT^YZOTʬP]PY_0LNS^_`OPY_X`^_L]]TaP
For The Alaska Miner How many 18-year-olds do you know who have graduated from a surface mine training program? Recently eight teenagers — seven young men and one young woman — graduated with the hands on experience to begin careers in mining. They graduated from Mining and Petroleum Train- ing Service (MAPTS), a University of Alaska program ZʬP]TYR_]LTYTYRTYYZ_ZYWd^`]QLNPXTYTYRM`_`Y - OP]R]Z`YOXTYTYRU`^_Z`_^TOP/PW_L5`YN_TZY MAPTS has a facility unlike any in the world, of- QP]TYR_]LTYTYR_ZLO`W_^WZZVTYR_ZM]PLVTY_Z_SPʭPWO or enhance the skills of those already in the trade. It is modeled and set up just like functioning mining NLX[^LYOSL^LWW_SPP\`T[XPY_ZYPbZ`WOʭYOTY either of the two mining scenarios. The students hail from areas of Alaska primed for mining with exploration and/or permitting in the works with Donlin Gold, Graphite One, Tower Hills International and Trilogy. These areas can also be known for being economically depressed as well as educationally disadvantaged. Donlin Gold in particular honors their commitment of education and supportive advocacy as demonstrat- ed through their ongoing partnership with Alaska
The Alaska Miner
October 2019
56
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