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¹ Delineation of a mineral deposit involves the drilling of core holes and the interpretation of core hole data and other data to estimate the shape and size of a mineral deposit.

several of the existing mining engineering programs are likely not financially viable. In most circumstances programs cannot be financially viable with fewer than 50 graduates a year. When a program is not net revenue positive at the undergraduate level, it is vulnerable to cancelation or consolidation during times of budget stress.

A key concern, expressed by several participants, is that negative public perceptions of mining can dissuade students from considering a career in minerals extraction. Climate change and environmental degradation are prominent issues for the current generation, and for many, the minerals industry is linked with a legacy of environmental damage, which has been reinforced by negative depictions of the industry in popular culture. To begin to overcome this perception, several participants suggested focusing on reframing the industry as being part of the solution to environmental issues. For example, minerals extraction provides materials necessary for the technologies that play an important role in achieving decarbonization, such as wind turbines, solar panels, and electric vehicles. Improving awareness of the role of mining in addressing climate change and environmental degradation could help to attract students who are passionate about the environment. “Without turning a blind eye to the real environmental damage that’s been done in the history of mining, we can still be very proud of mining and what it has done for our planet,” Misael Cabrera, University of Arizona, said. “In fact, modern civilization is simply not possible—medicine, computing, data analytics, take your pick—none of it is possible without minerals, and therefore without mining.” Cabrera also pointed to mine waste, remining, and reclamation as opportunities for the minerals industry to advance environmental stewardship.

Participants noted that what is important to workers or prospective students may change over time and vary depending on one’s background and stage of life. Recognizing this, some suggested that diverse, multipronged approaches—such as providing multiple on-ramps and supporting stackable credentials—can help enhance overall recruitment and retention. Several participants emphasized the importance of early recruitment efforts for students (e.g., during high school and the first year of university), as well as recruitment efforts aimed toward community colleges/transfer programs and small liberal arts schools.

Sharing their visions for a future workforce, participants discussed a wide range of skills that university-trained scientists and engineers may need as the minerals industry evolves in the coming decades. These include geoscience and geostatistics; a range of engineering subdisciplines (e.g., mining, chemical, civil, geological, electrical, mechanical); metallurgy and materials science; mathematics, computer science and technology; environmental science; social sciences and the humanities; and professional disciplines such as accounting, law, and logistics. Several speakers explained that the knowledge and skills that were emphasized in the past may not suffice in the future. For example, some speakers—including Fio Giana, Freeport; Misael Cabrera, University of Arizona; and Greg Nottingham, U.S. Department of the Interior—noted that pairing technical and social skills with an awareness of the environmental, social, and governance context of the mining industry is vital to success both in the workplace and when handling relationships with communities near mining operations. However, these skills in public policy, humanities, social sciences, and communications have not traditionally been seen as key areas for education and professional development in the mineral resources field. Several panelists highlighted opportunities to realign curricula to student interests while also responding to industry needs. While some participants acknowledged the difficulty of fitting all the desired skills into undergraduate programs, especially in light of the strict demands involved in program accreditation, others posited that there is enough flexibility built into accreditation requirements to allow for innovation.

Although noting that the challenges are daunting, participants also shared examples of successful programs and models that could be learned from—and potentially even replicated and scaled—to best prepare students for careers in mineral resources fields. These examples took a wide range of forms. Many participants highlighted the value of early hands-on experiences through internships in industry, field experiences as part of academic programs, and engagement in industry–academia–government partnerships. Bill Bieber, Mining Petroleum Training Service, described his organization’s intensive underground/surface mine training programs designed to recruit new skilled trade entrants into the field—42 percent of whom are from minority groups—and prepare them for successful long-term employment. Christine Whetten, Barrick/Nevada Gold Mines, described her company’s externship program, in which

professors spend a summer at a mine to get firsthand experience with industry and expand their knowledge. Other participants also highlighted that the transfer of technical workers between industry and academia can enhance research and training. Mike Timmons, New Mexico Bureau of Geology & Mineral Resources, discussed his organization’s student training programs, which offer exposure to geologic tools and techniques, as well as interactions with industry partners and local communities that can lead to employment for a portion of students. Representatives from federal agencies shared numerous existing programs for supporting students and faculty through research and workforce development opportunities. Many participants stressed the critical importance of fostering effective communication and coordination across these agencies, as there is no single federal agency with sole “ownership” of issues related to mineral resources.

Finally, as highlighted during the workshop’s final session, worker retention remains a critical challenge for the industry. Noting that recruitment efforts are wasted if the industry is unable to retain its workers in the long run, several participants said that fostering cultural change will be important for creating environments that are safe, supportive, and rewarding. Speakers explored a variety of approaches to fostering such cultural change in order to improve worker retention, particularly among women and other historically underrepresented groups.

In the workshop’s opening session, Murray Hitzman, Ireland Research Centre in Applied Geosciences, likened the core challenge of the workshop not to resolving a pipeline problem, but to the opportunity to grow a sustainable workforce in the model of a tree and root system, with a taproot for the traditional disciplines (geoscience, engineering, and metallurgy) and lateral roots that pull in other essential workers with expertise in public policy, humanities, social sciences, and communications. Over the course of the presentations and discussions, participants pointed out many challenges the field faces in achieving this vision. However, participants also highlighted reasons for optimism and offered practical suggestions for actions that could be taken to strengthen the future mineral resources workforce; a subset of these suggestions is summarized in Box 1-1. In reflecting on the workshop discussions, Workshop Planning Committee Chair Eric Riggs, California State Polytechnic University, Humboldt, closed with an expression of optimism. “Clearly, engaging students is a huge challenge, but we can do it if we are open and honest, and if we leverage our partnerships. There are concrete examples out there working today of integrated activities between universities, industry, and agencies that can be replicated, and we need to see how they can be scaled up,” said Riggs. “[It is] not easy, [but] not impossible. We can do this if we provide the right energy and the right commitment.”