A lot of my time as a Territory Manager for Flexco is spent in the field at my customers’ mining facilities. One thing that I see across the board is that there is a real lack of young men and women in the workforce. After speaking with the front of house office staff, this is a sentiment that is often shared.
Could the reason for this workforce gap be that the job is seen as hard? Sure. Could it be that the hours can be difficult for an outsider to acclimate to? Yep. However, I think the common theme it all boils down to is that new workers at mining plants do not have the knowledge they need to succeed. They are afraid of failing early on, so they do not want to commit to the job in the long-term.
Just like any industry, mining has its good and bad days. How do you ensure that your employees have a higher number of good versus bad? By investing in their personal growth and development through training.
Why does belt conveyor training work?
Part of my duties as a territory manager is to lead classroom discussions with site technicians on conveyor technology. At the start of every presentation, I ask the class about common conveyor pain points and their familiarity with conveyor belt repair methods, mechanical fasteners, and other tools.
The feedback I usually get is that they have never even been taught the basics of conveyors. No matter how many times I hear that it always surprises me.
By getting in front of mining employees quickly, we can help teach them best practices, reinforce the importance of site procedures, and give them the opportunity to learn in an open environment where they can ask questions. In turn, this leads to them wanting to use their knowledge on the job and stick it out for the long-term.
The following are additional reasons why conveyor belt training helps retain employees at mining operations.
Increased Site and Operator Safety
A key point that I like to hammer home during my sessions is the importance of practicing site safety. When you have been in this field for a while, you hear stories of catastrophic injuries that occurred in the belt conveying process. No matter how many times I hear one, the common denominator is that someone at the facility neglected a safety measure or failed to report a potential risk before it happened.
This is why a substantial chunk of my lesson plans emphasize safety measures that sites and operators can take. Doing so helps to enforce a safety-first mindset from the jump, which saves employees from potential injuries and site managers from the headache of what happens when one occurs.
Additionally, it is important for new employees to become familiar with industry organizations that focus on safety. By covering the likes of industry-specific bodies like the Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA), technicians are made aware of what can happen to them if safety measures are ignored, and what regulatory action their facility can face if standards are not met.
Real-World Learning
During my sessions, each attendee gets a real feel for the equipment they will see in the field.
For example, after teaching students how to properly square a belt, a hands-on demonstration with our Belt Cutter is carried out. After my initial cut, each student will have the chance to do the same. This is consistently carried out with the other tools used in sessions too.
Overall, training new or unfamiliar employees leads to their individual success on the job and helps sites retain them in the long run. By becoming familiar with what they will be working with in a comfortable environment, they will be able to perform more confidently in the field.
How can you train your employees?
There are a lot of great training offerings for mining technicians. As a longtime territory manager for Flexco, I think there are some unique benefits to each of them that help them learn and grow in their role.
So, what are your best options to get your employees trained on belt conveyor systems?
Online Conveyor Training
“Flexco Essentials™ is a six-part eLearning course that features real world content for students to learn about the belt conveyor industry.”The first training option we offer is our most accessible with Flexco University. Specifically, I recommend the Flexco Essentials™ eLearning course for all distributors and end-users of belt conveyor products in the industry.
Divided into six parts, Essentials is a comprehensive breakdown of the entire belt conveyor system. Throughout the lessons, users will learn about key concepts on why a conveyor works the way it does, key pain points that they should watch out for, and the tools and equipment they may encounter along the way.
Furthermore, there are frequent knowledge checks that help keep users on track and make sure the concepts they are learning are understood. Altogether, Flexco Essentials will catch you up on the basics of conveyor systems and actively teach students how they work.
Learn More About Flexco Essentials
In-Class Conveyor Training
Another educational offering Flexco has is our in-class training.
Hosted at Flexco facilities across the globe, our in-class training sessions are run by our internal team of expert instructors. While in class, attendees will learn first-hand how our products work, get a real feel for the products on our lifelike training rigs, and take their knowledge with them back to their facility.
A big advantage of sending your employees for an in-class training session is that it gives them dedicated time to step away from the distractions of their job and gives them the opportunity to actively learn without having to worry about being asked to work on any random tasks.
View In-Class Conveyor Training
On-Site Conveyor Training
“On-Site Training with a Flexco Trailer allows attendees to comfortably learn while also getting a hands-on feel for the belt conveyor products they may encounter in the field.There are two options for mining facilities to choose from with our on-site conveyor training. As alluded to before, the first is in a classroom setting.
An on-site session is hosted at your facility and goes into detail on the basics of conveyors, giving attendees the hands-on feeling they need from an industry expert. In total, this usually lasts two hours and gives attendees a breakdown of conveyor basics, important safety measures, and best practices for installing and repairing belt conveyor products.
In my opinion, this is the premier training choice for making your employees comfortable with the source material they will be working with, as it forms a sense of community with their fellow employees who are in a similar situation.
Additionally, for those located in the U.S. who want specific insight into our catalog of belt conveyor products in person, we are more than happy to set up a visit with the Flexco Mobile Showroom.
Fitting twelve technicians around the head of a conveyor belt is difficult, so we decided to create a moveable unit that can be transported from site to site. In turn, attendees of a session can interact with a real conveyor system and key products they may encounter at ground level. This gives attendees the opportunity to learn how to install and make repairs the right way – safely and comfortably.
In the U.S., we are working on a new Flexco HD Trailer that allows us to roll a lifelike conveyor out onto your shop floor and give students an even more in-depth look at our heavy-duty solutions. This new trailer will allow our team to conveniently teach a full HD BCP Training School and a Mobile Splice Training School, giving technicians an unprecedented level of access to real-world knowledge. Stay tuned for more details.
A visit with the Mobile Showroom is on a case-by-case basis, so if you are interested in having a territory manager bring it to your facility, be sure to reach out to your local representative.
View On-Site Conveyor Training
An Investment in Your Employees is an Investment in Your Company
Overall, the biggest issue that we see with employee retention in heavy-duty mining facilities is with lack of educational opportunities.
By investing in your employees early, you can effectively give them the tools they need to succeed in the long run. In turn, you can expect to decrease your labor costs, all while increasing performance.
Do not hesitate to do better by you and your employees; invest in education today!
Authored by: Tim Statzer, U.S. Territory Manager, Heavy-Duty Market