The new service offers technical one-on-one training for mining professionals wanting to acquire new skills and apply them in the workplace.

Executive general manager Phil Snowden said mentoring was offered as an extension to Snowden’s training courses to help delegates put theory into practice.

“Snowden became aware of the need for mentoring when clients voiced their concern about applying new skills in the workplace,” he said.

In its role as mentor, Snowden will offer advice, guide professionals in applying skills, accelerate learning, assist decision making and provide confidence.

Senior mine geologist Ann Winchester for Cobar Management is one of the first clients using the new service out of the company’s Brisbane office, and is being mentored in resource modeling and estimation.

“The mentoring process within Snowden showed us that there are a variety of tools and methods for resource modelling using one’s own data. The mentoring process helped to consolidate our knowledge of fundamental ideas and tackle some of the more complicated techniques in resource modeling,” she said.

“Snowden’s varied experience also helped us resolve issues specific to our operation. The mentoring process has given us much more confidence in our ability and the resource modelling techniques we use,” she said.

Snowden offers mentoring in geotechnical engineering, blasting, resource evaluation, project management, mining engineering, corporate services, information technology, business improvement and performance management.