Energy management and automation company Schneider Electric and gold mining company Harmony Gold have formed a strategic partnership to upgrade the instrumentation workshop of the Harmony Moab Khotsong Engineering Training Centre situated in Orkney, North West.

The aim of the partnership is to advance technological education and workforce development within the mining and minerals sector.

Schneider Electric and its official partner Welkom Industrial Controls will be responsible for the equipment provision, installation and commissioning, which is earmarked for completion by November this year, as well as ongoing support at the Harmony Moab Khotsong Engineering Training Centre.

The Moab Khotsong Engineering Training Centre will serve Harmony and its personnel as well as external clients, including Assmang Mines (Khumani); Murray & Roberts Cementation; Impala Platinum Rustenburg; Impala Springs Refinery; CAPM Tau-Lekoa, Kopanang; and Gold Mining Company (Kop-Gold), with which the mine has agreements to provide training.

“Partnering with our multiple stakeholders to uplift our mine communities has always been a key part of our strategic pillar of responsible stewardship. This training centre is a demonstration of us being stronger together than we are apart and that, together, we can make a difference in the lives of young people in our country,” says Harmony CEO Peter Steenkamp.

The upgrade initiative aims to address key challenges, and also highlights key priorities, faced by the industry, including change management, skills shortages and depleting artisans and technician expertise.

“There is currently quite a significant skills gap in both technical expertise and knowledge, and practical implementation in the mining and minerals sector. We feel privileged to play a significant part in bridging the gap and to form part of the Training Centre upgrade initiative. We thank Harmony Gold Mines for entrusting us with this endeavour,” says Schneider Electric Anglophone Africa mining, minerals and metals segment regional key account manager Cecil Maartens.

The skills gap challenge is also faced globally, with a recent study by strategy and management consulting firm McKinsey showing that mining companies worldwide are experiencing a talent squeeze, as 71% of mining leaders said that the talent shortage is holding them back from delivering on production targets and strategic objectives, he says.

Further, the Harmony Moab Khotsong Engineering Training Centre will also serve as a platform for discussions on standardisation and governance across the mining value chain, promoting efficiency, cost savings and enhanced safety, he adds.

“At Harmony, operational excellence is key to creating an enabling environment and achieving our operational plans. Proactively managing safety and health, combined with incentives to improve technology and our workforce’s productivity, will help us achieve our goals. We believe this training facility is a step in the right direction,” says Steenkamp.

The training centre will include Schneider Electric’s EcoStruxure Internet of Things open and interoperable architecture, which encompasses three distinct layers namely connected products, edge control and apps, and analytics and services, says Maartens.

“We are passionate about assisting and serving our mining customers and are committed to making a lasting impact by driving and shaping our future together, ultimately developing and delivering valuable, motivated, and well-matched mining staff compliment,” he says.