The mining skills training centre established by the Group with Karaganda Industrial University and two vocational colleges opened on 25 November, with the regional employment and social protection authority in attendance. Built around the roles the mines actually need, the centre opens with four streams — mining, processing, electrical automation and equipment maintenance — and plans to train 600 certified technicians within three years.
The centre's first eight intakes enrolled 240 students, 62% of them from settlements around the mines. Those who complete the programme and pass assessment will have priority for recruitment at the Group's operations.
The curriculum combines theory and practical work over a 640-hour cycle, of which no less than 60% is practical. Modules cover operation of mining equipment, control of grinding and flotation circuits, substation and instrumentation work, and maintenance of hydraulic and drive systems, with occupational health and safety (HSE) training and certification for specialised work embedded throughout. Teaching staff combine Group engineers with college lecturers, and practical work is carried out at the site training facility and on the plant simulator.
Admission favours communities around the mines: the first eight intakes enrolled 240 students, 62% of them from nearby settlements and 18% of them women. The Group provides transport and living allowances during training, and those who pass the final assessment sign a recruitment agreement with the Group, entering pay bands aligned to their skills grade and able to progress through internal certification to team leader and technician roles.
The Group aims to raise localisation in key technical roles to 85% by 2028, building on local employment of 92% to increase the local share of technical and management positions. Future courses will extend to mine digitalisation, autonomous haulage and predictive maintenance of equipment, in step with the Group's investment in automation.
Resource, grade, capacity and investment figures in this article are stated on an interim basis; the Group's formal announcements and reviewed technical documents prevail.