Indian natural resource industry has seen significant change in the last 10 years in terms of technology, employment generation, metal production and attracting best of Indian and global talent that includes engineers and management graduates. Surprisingly, the number of female employees in natural sector is changing on year-on-year basis. A number of international experts have joined at key positions to explore natural resources, to improve metal recovery and build a future of sustainable mining.

As the industry is growing, with advent of automation and technology, the need for trained manpower is also increasing. This is where Prime Minister of India, Shri Narendra Modi Ji highlighted the scope of employment opportunities with growth in natural resource sector.

This led Hindustan Zinc to identify areas that play crucial role in under-ground mining where the need of skilled manpower is being felt. Jumbo Drill Operator and Winding Engine Operators came out as two distinct professions where the need for Indian skilled manpower could be deployed and which were currently being operated by expats.

The Company to invest Rs. 30 crore in next 5 years to train 500 youth in Jumbo Drill and Winding Engine Operations.

It was assessed as an opportunity for the ITI pass-outs, who are below the age of 30 years and who were academically qualified to operate post thorough training.

Hindustan Zinc has set-up India’s perhaps first Mining Academy that would train ITI pass-outs in Jumbo Drill Operations and in Winding Engine Operations. Hindustan Zinc itself employs about 200 Jumbo Drill Operators and 45 Winding Engine Operators. The opportunities would further set to move up with increase in expansion of mines.

In the current batch, more than 3000 ITI pass-outs applied to seek admission in the ‘Hindustan Zinc Mining Academy’ and after process of written test and interviews, 104 candidates have been selected to undergo 18 months Jumbo Drill Operator Training Program.

`Hindustan Zinc Mining Academy’, has been set-up in collaboration with ‘Skill Council for Mining Sector’ and training partner ‘Indian Institute of Skill Development Pvt. Ltd’, the Company is expected to spend Rs. 30 Crore in the next five years to train about 500 ITI pass-outs in Jumbo Drill Operations and Winding Engine operations.

For Jumbo Drill Operators Hindustan Zinc has set-up 3-D Simulator, which is a Virtual Reality Hi-tech device used in Hindustan Zinc to train operators in heavy machinery. The 3-D Simulators are cost-effective, safe, and efficient methods for training all concepts and skills, from controls familiarization to procedure compliance. Simulation training maximizes productivity and increases workforce efficiency.

In Winding Engine Operator Training Program 47 ITI-pass-outs were enrolled in February 2017 and their eight months training will be completing in October 2017. Besides Winding Engine Training these candidates are also being given exposure in Banks-men and Bellman Operations. Earlier, in October 2016, Hindustan Zinc had provided Jumbo Drill Operator Training to 120 ITI pass-outs and their training will be complete by March 2018. In the 2014-15 Hindustan Zinc had trained 55 ITI pass-outs in Jumbo Drill and all of them got immediate placements.

The Chief Executive Officer of Hindustan Zinc, Sunil Duggal, who is also the Chairman of Governing Board of ‘Skill Council for Mining Sector’, informed that “Hindustan Zinc completely endorses Hon’ble Prime Minister Narendra Modi Ji’s thoughts on the scope of creating millions of employment opportunities through natural resource sector. The prime objective of setting up ‘Hindustan Zinc Mining Academy’ in Rajasthan is to enhance employability of eligible youths. This Academy will provide trained Jumbo Drill Operators and Winding Engine Operators to the Indian mining industry, who would also have training in Banks-men and Bellman Operations. The company is set to invest Rs. 30 crore in next five years on the training.”

Hindustan Zinc has made a provision for free boarding and lodging facilities for all the selected candidates in both the training programs. Since the course is residential, equal emphasis is being given on classroom lectures and practical exposures to the students for enabling them to develop a better understanding of the module. The trainees will be groomed in various aspects like – soft skills, team effort, discipline and overall personality development, which would further help them in securing sustainable livelihood in future.

These trainees are also given monthly stipend which would range from Rs.2000 to Rs.7000, linked directly with their performance. Currently the training centres are in Bhilwara, Rajsamand and Zawar near Udaipur.

 Hindustan Zinc is India’s only and the world’s leading Zinc-Lead-Silver producer and the company has operations in Udaipur, Rajsamand, Bhilwara, Ajmer and Zawar, all in Rajasthan.