Recognised mentors of Metinvest Central Iron Ore, together with vocational training instructors, have developed a comprehensive set of materials for new employees. The developed Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), working notes, as well as video and photographic materials will ensure the swift adaptation of newcomers in production. A distinctive feature of the materials is that they are intended specifically for Kolachevskyi Mine, as they take into account the particularities and conditions of the technological processes of this business unit.
The need for modern, high-quality training materials has arisen against the backdrop of a severe workforce shortage, under which Metinvest’s iron ore works have been operating since the beginning of the war. In some business units, newcomers accounted for as much as 30% of the total intake. Among these business units is Kolachevskyi Mine of Metinvest Central Iron Ore, where, over the past year of rapid ramp-up to design capacity and increased productivity, many newcomers have been recruited to fill vacant positions for underground mining operations. These are usually people from various professions, most of whom have never worked in ore mines before. Therefore, the creation of this set of training materials serves an important purpose – to assist experienced miners-mentors in effectively transferring knowledge to newcomers.
Experts from the Recruitment, Training and Personnel Development Department of Metinvest Central Iron Ore have been actively involved in creating didactic materials for three relevant mining professions: drift miner, mine support worker, and electric locomotive operator. Over the course of several months, the specialist working group combined educational work with their primary duties. Moreover, for each participant, this was their first experience in developing training content of this format.
“Currently, we have many newcomers joining us, and this affects the performance of work – in terms of speed, accuracy, productivity, and efficiency,” comments project coordinator and key operations expert Oleksii KHOLODENKO. “Newcomers need to be trained and initially supervised, and given the number of newcomers and staff turnover, many mentors are required. This is why it was decided to create training manuals with photo and video lessons, which would provide additional support in mastering underground professions. We drew on the experience of specialists at Zaporizhstal, who previously developed a similar set of materials for several of their professions. As a result, we developed a working guide, Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), along with photo and video materials – what we might call ‘comics for adults,’ or an alphabet with visual examples, commentary, and descriptions of functions and operations."
Our working group was faced with the following task: to create accessible and comprehensible training content without overloading it with technical terminology, so that anyone, figuratively speaking “off the street,” could understand the specifics of a particular mining profession and use it as a guide in their work.
The professions of mine support worker, electric locomotive operator, and drift miner are currently the most in demand at the mine. These vacancies are continuously filled by both graduates of specialised educational institutions and specialists from other industries. It often happens that a worker knows the theory but lacks practical experience. Therefore, visual materials are intended to assist with this. They take into account all the nuances of job responsibilities across all skill levels, the specifics of the mine, and are designed to be as practical as possible.
Volodymyr ZHURAVEL, a lecturer and expert in mining professions with twenty years of practical experience, participated in the development of the training materials as a specialist, particularly on matters of occupational safety:
“As a consultant, I participated in all the meetings of the working group. Behind each SOP, video script, working guide, and workbook lie numerous discussions among experts from various fields. This is substantial work – a fusion of the experience of mentor-specialists, encompassing years of professional knowledge. These are ready-made instructions that outline the sequence of actions and the specific technical “rituals” indispensable in any profession. They indicate the sequence in which tasks are to be carried out and the tools to be used. All this is to ensure that adaptation in the workplace proceeds more smoothly. Of course, the period of adjustment will differ for each individual: some may adapt within a few shifts, while others may require more time. Overall, it was a rather lengthy yet engaging task, and above all, an invaluable experience. I am confident that these materials will assist young and less experienced specialists in mastering all the intricacies of mining professions."
Volodymyr FILONENKO applied his 19 years of experience in various positions at Kolachevskyi Mine; his key role in the working group is that of an expert.
“The distinctive feature of these materials is their visual nature. For example, the video instructions that have been developed are essentially descriptions of the technological processes: each operation is demonstrated while, in parallel, the accompanying parts and tools used are explained. Thanks to this, the technical operations that the employee is required to perform are easily retained in memory. I also see the value of these materials in that they provide an understanding of the profession itself and of the mine in general. So that a person who has never worked before in the industry can review it and determine whether it is suitable for them."
Serhii HAHARIN, an expert in underground mining technologies, production tasks, and the intricacies of the locomotive operator profession, contributed as a co-author of the working notes and Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs). He determined the visual components of the future 'alphabet': advising on what should be depicted in photos and videos, and identifying the tools, units, and mechanisms for the instructional illustrations.
“At the mining operation, a whole system of unique knowledge and skills has been preserved, enriched, and passed down from worker to worker over the years, and with these materials we tried to consolidate and convey it to newcomers to make it easier for them to adapt to the workplace,” says Serhii. “The ideal outcome is when a newcomer gains valuable experience, the mine team gains a colleague they can rely on, and the enterprise gains an efficient employee. We are one team, and it is important to work towards a common goal, foster a responsible attitude to work, and develop in newcomers the ability to perform production tasks independently and to a high standard. In summary, the productivity of the entire enterprise will increase."
Experts in the roles of mine support worker and drift miner, Artur Malook and Vitalii Chystiakov, as well as occupational safety specialists who checked all SOPs for compliance with health and safety requirements, also made a significant contribution to the preparation of the training materials. Volodymyr Ishchenko assisted with the technical design. The relevant checks and adjustments were carried out by Olena Biendich, head of the training and methodological work group at Metinvest Business Service Centre for Service and Operational Support.
“It is necessary to systematically prepare those who will be working alongside us tomorrow, as the technological process must be supported by qualified personnel, and today’s experienced professionals need colleagues they can rely on in production processes. And all this despite the numerous constraints of wartime,” comments Liudmyla SOLOD, Head of Recruitment, Training, and Personnel Development at Metinvest's Iron Ore Works. “Thanks to the diligence and responsibility of our experts and experienced mentors, we now have a high-quality set of training materials capable of accelerating the preparation of qualified personnel for Kolachevskyi Mine, strengthening the team both tomorrow and in the long term. Detailed video lessons and working notes are designed to familiarize newcomers with the technological processes and their job functions. Such materials will simplify the process of workplace adaptation, regardless of the newcomer’s prior professional experience."
