The graduates of the first ever Women in Mining course celebrated at the College of the Rockies (COTR) Fernie campus Friday afternoon. The 15 women were a diverse group made up of residents from Fernie, Sparwood, Elkford, and the Crowsnest Pass, with even a few coming from locations as far away as Creston and Vancouver Island.
Offered by COTR in partnership with Teck, the three week training program introduced the students to the different types of careers available within the surface coal mining industry. The program included fundamentals and procedures in surface mining, computer skills, Occupational First Aid Level 1, haul truck simulator, a mine tour, and ride-along training with veteran operators. Work/life balance workshops and resume writing were also part of the course.