TRAINING AND DEVELOPMENT AT OK TEDI
OTML recognises the need for the workforce to be flexible and have the capacity to change and apply new technology to maintain competitiveness. Ok Tedi provides an in-depth suite of training and development programmes commencing with site and departmental inductions through to externally delivered mining leadership courses. OTML aims to ensure that all employees are skilled and competent in the execution of their responsibilities and are offered the opportunity for personal growth consistent with business needs.
Star Mountains Training Institute:
OTML operates the Star Mountains Training Institute as a Registered Training Organisation in Tabubil through the Dr. Jacob Weiss Training Centre and is committed to the development of its most important resource – its employees. Since 1982, over 10,000 employees have completed education and training in some form. Programmes offered include Preferred Area Development, Graduate Development Scheme, Apprenticeships, employee on-the-job training both in-country and overseas.
Graduate Development Scheme:
OTML sponsors a Graduate Development Scheme, in which new university graduates are chosen and offered positions in their respective study disciplines that features mentoring, on the job experience, further training and career possibilities. They undergo a two-year training programme following which they are offered full-time roles depending on their performance and position availability.
Apprenticeship Trade Programme:
OTML offers an apprenticeship trade programme to meet its needs and contribute to the national pool of tradespeople. OTML encourages its business partners to also develop apprentices. OTML’s apprenticeship programme has been awarded strong endorsements and recommendations through the Papua New Guinea National Apprentice and Trade Testing Board with whom the company works closely to ensure the quality of its apprenticeship programme.
Scholarships:
There has been a considerable investment made through scholarships for mine community students to undertake secondary, post-secondary and tertiary courses in PNG and overseas in order to support priority skills needs within the Western Province.
OTDF manages nine Flexible Open Distance Education centres operating in the Western Province. These centres provide access to secondary studies for hundreds of out of school youth and adults, allowing them to upgrade their qualifications to meet tertiary institution enrolment requirements.
Education infrastructure is vital for delivering education outcomes. The OTML Tax Credit Scheme has recently developed building improvements for the Montfort Primary School, as well as the construction of Oksapmin High School for students in the North Fly and Telefomin Districts. In 2017, the Tabubil International School was reopened with support from OTML, the community and an innovative community business initiative, in order to offer alternative higher quality schooling for children from the local communities.
Community Relations
The OTML Community Relations team is responsible for the planning, implementation and communication of OTML community relations programmes, such as environmental impact mitigation, compensation payments, local employment and benefit sharing opportunities, infrastructure development and services for the Western Province.
The OTML Community Relations team manages the dissemination of information to the communities and undertake formal and informal consultation. Every year, the Community Relations team completes a number of annual formal community visits to each of the 158 villages in the nine CMCA regions, which covers an area of more than 98,000 kilometres.
Over 20,000 people attend these meetings every year. Meetings are held with both men and women as well as with women separately to discuss issues specific to women and children. Formal meetings are also held with local, ward, provincial and national government authorities. In these forums, the communities and their leaders have the right to raise issues with OTML and the state that impact upon their livelihoods. OTML uses the meetings to provide feedback on issues previously raised and provide information updates on mining operations, environmental impacts, agreed compensation, statutory compensation, statutory compliance understanding and the awareness of applicable laws relating to lease management and social responsibility programmes managed through OTDF.
Western Province entities maintain a 33 percent interest in OTML, with a representation on the Ok Tedi Board of Directors. Ok Tedi engages with its stakeholders and maintain regular open and transparent dialogue with the mine associated communities and government. This dialogue is based on Free and Prior Informed Consent principles to which OTML subscribes.
Ok Tedi’s community development programmes have focused on developing partnerships with local communities, governments and businesses in a bid to help harness sustainable social and economic development in the Western Province and the Telefomin District. This approach ensures the community development programmes complement government initiatives and those of aid agencies and Non-Government Organisations working within the region.
The delivery and management of major community development programmes are primarily delivered through the Ok Tedi Development Foundation.
Indeed, OTML community development projects target women and children. Ok Tedi, through OTDF, has introduced various women’s programmes which recognise the significant social shift caused by development and the necessity for women to play a more active role in their communities. A key area of this is women’s leadership skills. These workshops aim to strengthen the existing village women’s groups so that they can tie into the PNG National Council of Women network. The focus of these workshops is on equipping women with the skills to assist them to become involved in the decision-making process.
Women leaders play an influential role in all mine community consultation processes and leaders’ meetings and are represented on the OTDF Board. A minimum of 10 percent of the CMCA Compensation package has been allocated for women and children and regional women’s associations have been set to make use of the funds for women and children projects.
