Nikola made a good impression. “Once I graduated MAPTS, and ]PNPTaPO Xd NP]_TʭNL_P ZY _SP back of my envelope, was written ‘Congratulations, and welcome to the Pogo family!’ ” 4YST^ʭ]^_XZY_S^L_;ZRZ9T - kola has made good use of the di- verse training MAPTS provided. “They had me start out run- ning supplies, running bolts, then to services, hanging utilities, and currently on a haul truck. There’s a big need for haul truck drivers, and once we get more drivers, I’ll be back on services. It’s great to rotate through everything.” He reiterated that the diverse training he received is already paying dividends. “They taught me how to drive a haul truck, how to muck, how to hang utilities, how to jackleg; lots ZQ^_`ʬWTVP_SL_4_T^L]PLWWdRZZO set of skills to have. “I haven’t touched a jackleg at Pogo, but that’s a really good skill to have.” It would be easy to expect Ni- kola’s heritage could have led him in another direction, into the com- XP]NTLWʭ^STYR_SL_SL^MPPY[L]_ of his family for generations. His grandmother has owned and the family has operated a setnet site on the Kenai Peninsula for more than 40 years. “I’ve always been drawn to NZXXP]NTLWʭ^STYR&T_ɪ^bSL_bPɪaP always one,” Nikola said. “But it’s not really a good way to make a liv- ing. There’s not a lot of money in- volved, especially on the Kenai. “Mining is a good year-round UZM.ZXXP]NTLWʭ^STYRT^LbLdZQ life, but in order to make money, you have to have a job. So, I gave that up to work in mining.” 3PNLY_]LNPST^ʭ]^_TY_P]P^_TY mining to a visit to King Tech by the Donlin Project’s Meg Day. “She was talking about mining, surface and underground, coal, what they do and how they do it, safety. It was everything I needed to know. It was an eye-opener.” He also admits he quickly
Photo courtesy Pogo Mine 3MOSPEGSQTPIXIHXLI&PEWOE2MRMRKERH5IXVSPIYQ8VEMRMRKIVZMGITVSKVEQ 2&58ERHMWRS[ERYRHIVKVSYRHQMRIVEX&PEWOEƶW5SKS2MRIS[RIHERH STIVEXIHF]3SVXLIVRXEV7IWSYVGIW1MQMXIH
He’s also very introspective for a 19-year-old — and the youngest employee at Pogo — about a career underground. “I want to look at myself in ʭaPdPL]^^PPbSP]P4LXTYʭaP years,” he said. Nikola has also made it a per- sonal mission to tell his peers, oth- er young Alaskans, about the po- tential for a good career in mining. “So, I’ve actually gone to West High School and King to talk about mining, and other industries like this. I tell them, ‘If you’re unde- cided, if you don’t want to go to college, but want to make decent money, get a trade!’ ” He’s also realistic about the challenges of getting through to other teens. “Some of them open their eyes and pay attention. Others just look down. I’m trying to get them to raise their heads up, to open their eyes!”
learned things that surprised him, — in a good way. “What surprised me is how safe it is!” he said, laughing. “I have heard stories in the past (about the dangers in mining), but it’s all about safety. “At Pogo we have this moving sign, that you see every day, that says: ‘The most important thing that comes out of the mine is the miner!’ ” He’s also emphatic in what he enjoys most about his job. “It’s the people! The people are awesome. Everyone is try- ing to have a good time, taking care of each other because they’re away from their family two to four weeks, so they’re trying to enjoy it. “They are my second family there.” The work schedule, with weeks of free time, allows him to pursue ST^ WZaP ZQ S`Y_TYR LYO ʭ^STYR and the outdoors.
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The Alaska Miner
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