MAPTS Adopts ‘Mining Creative’ to Overcome, Expand Training
Photos Courtesy MAPTS Alaska’s Mining and Petroleum Training Service (MAPTS) has helped train multiple generations of miners for the rigors and expectations that come with pursuing a career in the industry.
By Lee Leschper For 40 years Alaska’s Mining and Petroleum Training Service (MAPTS) program has been training Alaskans to work for our mining, oil and gas producers. Now MAPTS is using creativity and new partnerships to weather budget challenges and break new ground worldwide. MAPTS is assisting Greenland in a project funded by the US Department of State. MAPTS will train students and staff from KTI Råstofskolen, Sisimiut, Greenland, at its mine training facility outside Delta Junction. Conversely, MAPTS staff will travel to Greenland to provide expertise on building and operating an underground mine training facility, developing curriculum, and training a local group of trainers for Greenland’s expanding minerals sector. MAPTS was chosen as a subrecipient because of its results in operating a hands-on training facility and its success in developing a mining workforce indigenous to its arctic region. Bill Bieber, Executive Director of MAPTS, says the partnership builds on the program’s unique skills and approach to hands-on training. “We are not training students, but are training their trainers, and help them design their training facility and curriculum. And teach them how to teach underground entry level miners.” The Greenland instructors will go through the regular
28-day MAPTS program. “They have a lot of precious metals and minerals to develop there, including rare earth minerals,” Bieber said. “What they don’t have is any mining experience. Most of their experience has been on environmental compliance.” Interestingly, former UAF mining professor Rajive Ganguli, now at the University of Utah, was instrumental
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November 2021 I The Alaska Miner I www.alaskaminers.org
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