The CMCP Certification Program is a nationwide initiative through which industry workers can earn credentials that are recognized by industry employers throughout the country. Credentials provide workers with an indisputable way to demonstrate—and employers to verify—their skills in several occupational areas of the mining industry. They also help ensure all key industry players—employers, workers and educators—understand and consistently use the same terms when discussing and considering specific job requirements and worker abilities.

During 2010 seven mine sites across Canada participated in the Certification pilot program:

• Xstrata Zinc's Brunswick Mine in Bathurst, New Brunswick
• Cementation, at Totten Mine in Sudbury, Ontario and Trout Lake Mine in Manitoba
• Rio Tinto, Diavik Diamond Mine in the Northwest Territories
• Teck Coal's   Greenhills Operation in British Columbia
• Northgate Minerals Corp. at the Kemess South Mine, British Columbia
• Teck Resources - Highland Valley Copper, British Columbia

Following a series of evaluations, a group of 98 workers were certified in the Occupations of Underground Miner, Surface Miner and Minerals Processing Operator in Spring 2011. Certification will be available nationally for these occupations in Fall 2011.

The CMCP Certification Process
A simplified overview of the process:

·        Workplace Assessor chosen and trained: Certification is achieved through the validation of skills and competencies demonstrated on the job.  A workplace assessor works with certification candidates to witness the demonstration of these tasks and records the official record.  This record, once submitted successfully results in certification. A workplace assessor is chosen by his employer and trained by MiHR

·        Candidate registers with MiHR and receives documentation

·        Candidate demonstrates tasks and progress is recorded by a workplace assessor

·        Completed documents showing skills demonstrated are submitted to MiHR

·        MiHR registrar verifies documents and either accepts as complete, or returns to candidate where more information is needed, or further tasks need to be completed

·        Candidate receives certification

Certification will be made available nationally in Fall 2011 for the occupations of Underground Miner, Surface Miner and Minerals Processing Operator. Candidates can be certified at Level 1 or Level 2. This is dependent on existing experience and will be assessed by the Workplace Assessor. For more details on the skills and competencies assessed for certification view the National Occupational Standards

If you are an employer interested in certifying your workers then please contact cmercer@mihr.ca. Certification candidates are encouraged to register their interest with their employer as a first step