Xstrata Coal began the program when the company recognised that there was a shortage of suitably qualified electrical and mechanical engineers.

Xstrata Coal’s program has proven to be highly successful in preparing candidates for the certificate of competency examinations, Bentham said.

Xstrata Coal has now extended this program to allow other coal company personnel to attend and to include open cut as well as underground competencies.

Xstrata group engineer Paul Gill has played a key role in establishing the program, which involves bringing in expertise in functional safety, protection and load flow.

A separate mentoring program for open cut electrical engineers has been fostered by specialist electrical engineer Murray Timpson at Mount Thorley Warkworth.

“Basically it started about 18 months ago and originally it was just Rio Tinto employees across three sites (Bengalla, Hunter Valley Operations and Mount Thorley) and it eventually opened up to other interested parties such as Drayton, Mount Arthur and others,” Timpson said.

“It has been successful, with those taking part getting better results in their examinations.

“We work in with the Xstrata program, revise past papers and have guest specialists to talk about particular topics. Each year the Rio Tinto sites are taking turns in managing the process and Hunter Valley Operations is managing it this year.”