The Mine Training Society
Celebrating Years of Helping Northerners
The Mine Training Society is a unique partnership between Aboriginal governments, public government and the mining industry. For more than a decade, our mission has been to support Aboriginal people and Northerners in finding long-term employment in the mining industry.
Since our inception in 2003, MTS has evolved into much more than a vehicle for delivering training programs. We evaluate, train and then place northerners in mining and mining-related jobs, and also provide hands-on mentoring and job coaching to our clients throughout their careers. Our relationships with our clients don't end with graduation.
The Mine Training Society first arose from the Ministerial Ad Hoc Committee created to advise the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment as part of the development of initial diamond mine projects in the NWT. Since 2004, we have served over thousands of individual northerners with training and/or career counseling, and have facilitated employment for over 5% of the labour force.
Over the course of our existence, the Mine Training Society has been recognized for our work on several occasions, most notably receiving the 2009 Premier's Award in Excellence in Collaboration from the GNWT, and the 2012 Special Achievement Award for outstanding contributions to the mineral industry from the Prospectors and Developers Association of Canada. We're proud and thankful of this recognition of our hard work and dedication.
Board of Directors
Steven Bonhomme, Chair
Representative for DeBeers Canada
Iris Catholique, Vice Chairperson
Representative for Lutsel K’e Dene Band
Alan Harman, Secretary Treasurer
Representative for North Slave Metis Alliance
Andrea Giesbrecht, Director
Representative for Education, Culture & Employment
Gisele Marion, Director
Representative for Tlicho Government
Jessica Vital, Director
Representative for YK Dene First Nation
Mike Nolting, Director
Representative for Rio Tinto – Diavik Diamond Mines Inc.
Joseph Borkovic, Director
Representative for Arctic Canada Diamond Company
Leigh Gauthier, Ex-Officio Director
Representing Aurora College
Pearl Bird, Ex-Officio Director
Representing NWT Metis Nation