To refine and improve the execution of recruitment in the mining industry, mining and engineering professionals recruiter TrueVine Consulting has developed an innovative online recruitment platform, called Digger.

“Digger is a digital recruitment, talent management and staff retention solution or application (app) specifically for the mining industry,” Digger cofounder and TrueVine Consulting director Christo Engelbrecht tells Mining Weekly, emphasising that the solution is not a job board or social platform.

Through the Digger app, mining professionals are informed directly of available positions globally on their mobile devices. The app, therefore, is the link between corporates and individuals, without the need for a third party.

The app, developed over the past two years, is expected to be launched in the first quarter of this year. The app was developed with partners consulting agency Win Win Consulting and software company Wixels.

“We identified a need to revolutionise the recruitment industry in the mining sector,” Digger cofounder Lindi Engelbrecht explains.

Further, TrueVine Consulting aims to create a niche platform for a global mining database or global talent pool within the mining sector, she enthuses, acknowledging that, currently, recruitment databases in the sector are segmented and general.

“We believe the mining sector is ripe for disruption,” she adds, highlighting the influx of technologies, such as automation and Big Data analytics, which are becoming increasingly available and being adopted in the mining industry, developments which call for a shake-up in how recruitment is undertaken.

Through the new app, the candidate is connected directly to mining clients, and mining clients directly to candidates.

Engelbrecht also stresses the instant gratification quality of the app, as candidates and clients can view the information in real time.

The Digger system has been prepopulated with different job titles, commodities, departments, and functions within departments, qualifications, universities, technikon and professional memberships.

Each of these sections has its own experience selector to show ‘years of experience’ in each field.

The client can load a specific job specification, while candidates can create their own profiles through drop-down menus.

“This ensures that the candidate profile and job specification communicate with each other,” Engelbrecht explains, noting that once the job specification has been activated, only mining professionals with that particular skill set will be notified on the app.

He further stresses that this method eliminates the ‘Spray and Pray approach’ of conventional advertising and job boards, as the client’s vacancy post searches for people.

“It’s about giving you less volumes/quantity, yet more quality.”

Once the potential candidates have been notified, they can view the vacancy and the marketing video of the mine, as well as the promotional video of the mine’s surrounding area for additional information.

“This provides the candidate with the power to make an informed decision in a short time,” he says.

The candidate can then choose to pursue the opportunity by tapping on the DIG IT icon or discard the notification.

The mining client, meanwhile, will be informed of all the interested individuals, and will then be able to view their complete profile and contact them directly.

The candidate’s profile information will include technical background, qualifications, a photo and a personality test, as well as relevant documentation attached to the profile.

Further, the mining client has the option to present the shortlisted candidates with a case study. The candidates can respond to it through a short video, thereby providing the client with additional insight into the candidate and potentially eliminating the need for an initial interview.

Interview dates can also be scheduled through the app by automatically booking them on the clients’ and candidates’ calendars, which will reflect immediately on the candidates mobile devices.

After the interview and having identified the successful candidate, Digger’s recruitment administration department will, on request from the client, provide references.

Engelbrecht adds that, notably, ID, qualification and criminal verification checks of the candidate are completed through the app and can be done at the touch of a button.

“Digital onboarding and induction training through Digger is also possible, condensing weeks of induction into one day, as well as elearning platforms and Big Data analytics,” he says.

Engelbrecht further underscores that the Digger promise is to cut costs and recruitment time by half and to double productivity within the recruitment team.

Digger is a consumer-free app, and will be freely accessible to candidates from the iStore or Google Play Store, while mining companies can use/access the app through a subscription-based pricing model. Companies can view information about the app at DiggerApp.io.

Engelbrecht further notes that South African mines involved in various commodities sectors have expressed interest in the app, which will be implemented at three diverse mining operations this year.

Markets in the UK, Australia, Canada and the rest of Africa have also indicated an interest in Digger.

The app is geared to be applied globally and can be applicable to major mining capitals in the world, as well as any country which has a mine, she enthuses.

Engelbrecht agrees, stressing that, although the industry has entered 2018 and everything is going digital, recruitment still works in an ‘old school’ way.

VIDEO BLURB:
To watch a video in which Digger cofounder Christo Engelbrecht explains the functions and advantages of the Digger digital recruitment, talent management and staff retention solution, scan the barcode with your phone’s QR reader, or go to ‘Video Reports’ on www.miningweekly.co.za