2
manner. When graduates with metallurgy (mineral pro-
cessing) degrees enter the industry in technical roles, they
often do not have the practical skills such as knowledge of
best practice, engineering judgment, or problem-solving
required for their roles and often do not understand the
impact of what they are doing to upstream and downstream
processes. And there are not enough experienced senior
people to provide on-the-job training through which they
can gain these. Even more challenging is when talent is
sourced from diverse backgrounds, often lacking essential
discipline-specific knowledge.
This paper describes Metcelerate’s 20-month train-
ing program which was developed as a pathway to build
competencies of early-career mineral processing engineers
worldwide. The paper focuses on three key elements of the
program—blended learning in the workplace, cohort-based
learning, and the inclusion of a process optimization proj-
ect—and shows how each of these benefits and helps gener-
ate value for mining companies as well as their employees.
A BRIEF HISTORY OF METCELERATE
In 2017, the founders of Metcelerate were challenged by a
technical services leader at a mining company, to develop
an efficient and effective professional formation solution
for the mining industry for early career mineral process-
ing engineers. They got together a team of people inter-
ested in training in the mining industry, and in 2018, they
approached mining companies to sponsor a feasibility study
to determine the best framework for this kind of program
for the mining industry.
Three mining companies that all recognized that train-
ing young engineers was an industry wide challenge, that
fundamental knowledge will always be essential, and that
mineral processing plants often share common technical
issues and solutions, agreed to sponsor the study. This col-
laboration led to the development of a structured, industry-
relevant training program designed to equip early-career
engineers with the necessary knowledge and skills needed
to make good metallurgical decisions.
The sponsors helped define the program’s learning
objectives (such as developing problem-solving skills and
ensuring learners gain hand-on experience through practi-
cal in-plant activities) and features (such as ensuring the
program is flexible and can be delivered in the workplace)
which guided the design of the delivery model. The spon-
sors also prioritized eight topics that cover the technical
fundamentals across all components of the mineral process-
ing value chain.
Metcelerate was founded in August 2019, and within
less than a year, it built a comprehensive 20-month program
consisting of eight courses that cover the core principles of
mineral processing. The courses were created in close col-
laboration with world-leading subject matter experts that
have a unique combination of skills, networks, industry
and education experience, as well as learning designers. In
July 2020, the first cohort of 40 learners marked the official
launch of Metcelerate’s Professional Formation Program.
Since then, eight cohorts (five English, two Spanish,
one French) with a total of 304 learners from 13 countries
around the world started (Figure 2), and as of November
10, 2024, 68 learners have completed the 20-month
Metcelerate Professional Formation Program.
OVERVIEW OF THE TRAINING
PROGRAM
The Metcelerate Program was designed to develop effec-
tive, self-directed process engineers with a focus on process
management, process improvement, and problem-solving.
It comprises eight courses that cover the entire mineral pro-
cessing flowsheet, along with practical applications. The
courses follow a blended learning approach and run on a
set schedule over a 20-month period (Figure 3).
Learners start the program with an introductory course
that explains the importance of mineral processing and
how this step in the value chain adds the most value to the
ore. Early in the program, they also learn about problem-
solving and experimental design, which is an important
skill set for engineers if they want to make sound techni-
cal decisions. This is followed by a combination of courses
that provide a solid technical foundation across all aspects
of mineral processing and include both classical theory as
well as practical applications. The program is capped with
a process optimization project where learners investigate a
problem in their plant that is significant for the site and
where they “learn by doing”.
Figure 2. Metcelerate’s learners are located at sites around
the world
manner. When graduates with metallurgy (mineral pro-
cessing) degrees enter the industry in technical roles, they
often do not have the practical skills such as knowledge of
best practice, engineering judgment, or problem-solving
required for their roles and often do not understand the
impact of what they are doing to upstream and downstream
processes. And there are not enough experienced senior
people to provide on-the-job training through which they
can gain these. Even more challenging is when talent is
sourced from diverse backgrounds, often lacking essential
discipline-specific knowledge.
This paper describes Metcelerate’s 20-month train-
ing program which was developed as a pathway to build
competencies of early-career mineral processing engineers
worldwide. The paper focuses on three key elements of the
program—blended learning in the workplace, cohort-based
learning, and the inclusion of a process optimization proj-
ect—and shows how each of these benefits and helps gener-
ate value for mining companies as well as their employees.
A BRIEF HISTORY OF METCELERATE
In 2017, the founders of Metcelerate were challenged by a
technical services leader at a mining company, to develop
an efficient and effective professional formation solution
for the mining industry for early career mineral process-
ing engineers. They got together a team of people inter-
ested in training in the mining industry, and in 2018, they
approached mining companies to sponsor a feasibility study
to determine the best framework for this kind of program
for the mining industry.
Three mining companies that all recognized that train-
ing young engineers was an industry wide challenge, that
fundamental knowledge will always be essential, and that
mineral processing plants often share common technical
issues and solutions, agreed to sponsor the study. This col-
laboration led to the development of a structured, industry-
relevant training program designed to equip early-career
engineers with the necessary knowledge and skills needed
to make good metallurgical decisions.
The sponsors helped define the program’s learning
objectives (such as developing problem-solving skills and
ensuring learners gain hand-on experience through practi-
cal in-plant activities) and features (such as ensuring the
program is flexible and can be delivered in the workplace)
which guided the design of the delivery model. The spon-
sors also prioritized eight topics that cover the technical
fundamentals across all components of the mineral process-
ing value chain.
Metcelerate was founded in August 2019, and within
less than a year, it built a comprehensive 20-month program
consisting of eight courses that cover the core principles of
mineral processing. The courses were created in close col-
laboration with world-leading subject matter experts that
have a unique combination of skills, networks, industry
and education experience, as well as learning designers. In
July 2020, the first cohort of 40 learners marked the official
launch of Metcelerate’s Professional Formation Program.
Since then, eight cohorts (five English, two Spanish,
one French) with a total of 304 learners from 13 countries
around the world started (Figure 2), and as of November
10, 2024, 68 learners have completed the 20-month
Metcelerate Professional Formation Program.
OVERVIEW OF THE TRAINING
PROGRAM
The Metcelerate Program was designed to develop effec-
tive, self-directed process engineers with a focus on process
management, process improvement, and problem-solving.
It comprises eight courses that cover the entire mineral pro-
cessing flowsheet, along with practical applications. The
courses follow a blended learning approach and run on a
set schedule over a 20-month period (Figure 3).
Learners start the program with an introductory course
that explains the importance of mineral processing and
how this step in the value chain adds the most value to the
ore. Early in the program, they also learn about problem-
solving and experimental design, which is an important
skill set for engineers if they want to make sound techni-
cal decisions. This is followed by a combination of courses
that provide a solid technical foundation across all aspects
of mineral processing and include both classical theory as
well as practical applications. The program is capped with
a process optimization project where learners investigate a
problem in their plant that is significant for the site and
where they “learn by doing”.
Figure 2. Metcelerate’s learners are located at sites around
the world