Ok Tedi Mining Limited (OTML) is assisting four final year students from the University of Technology by providing them an opportunity to conduct their four-week industrial training commencing this month.
The Industrial Training component of the UNITECH undergraduate studies is a mandatory requirement for the undergraduate students to ensure they are eligible to graduate from the university in March 2024. It is also a requirement under the PNG UNITECH provisional accreditation by Engineers Australia (EA) in 2022, and its review for full accreditation is scheduled for May 2024.
The four students (two males and two females) come from Unitech’s School of Engineering (Mining & Mineral Processing). They will travel to Tabubil in the coming weeks.
Unitech’s Head of Mining Engineering Department, Dr Jim Lem said, “On behalf of the University of Technology and the Mining Engineering Department, I extend our sincere gratitude to OTML for its proactive approach in accommodating four of our students for industrial training. Your swift response and commitment to the development of our aspiring young talents is commendable and we truly appreciate this.
“We currently have 12 mining and 22 mineral science students eagerly awaiting engagement. Recognizing that the demand for industrial training placements far exceeds the capacity of any single organization, we hope that your assistance will inspire other mining companies to follow suit,” Dr Lem said.
OTML Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer Kedi Ilimbit said, “OTML is committed to support Unitech’s industrial training students to assist them meet their course completion component and to also give them the opportunity to practice what they have learnt theoretically at the university.”
“They have learned a lot about their chosen fields of study theoretically, it is now up to us in the industry to provide guidance and support so that they can test their knowledge in a practical setting and get a feel of what it’s like to work in an actual mine setting,” Mr Ilimbit said.
He further said that “In line with OTML’s vision to create sustainable futures for our people, this is an opportunity for OTML to positively impact our students and mould them to be the workforce that we envision in the future.”
Mr Ilimbit said OTML is committed to maintaining an industry-institution relationship with respective universities that provide graduates into its training programs and the workforce.
(File image) OTML’s Undergraduate Scholarship Scheme (USS) students from the University of Papua New Guinea and the University of Technology being welcomed during the official start of their industrial training with the company in November 2023.