Some Grade 8 girls and boys from around the Northwest Territories learned valuable lessons about teamwork and leadership, and career opportunities available in the mining industry, as De Beers participated in the annual Power Up! Conference led by Skills Canada NWT.
The conference is an opportunity for teens to explore a variety of career opportunities by participating in workshops with interactive and hands-on activities. The girls’ conference was Nov. 20 and the boys’ event was Nov. 21. The conference was held in Yellowknife and De Beers was one of several local companies who hosted groups of young participants.
“It was great to see these young women engaged in learning about our industry and discussing Women in Mining and non-traditional roles,” said Andrea Sluggett, Operational Contracts Performance Manager for Gahcho Kué Mine.
Both the girls and the boys the following day also took part in activities designed to encompass leadership and teamwork, said Guylaine Ross, a data analyst with De Beers’ environment department. This was the fifth time she has volunteered to support Power Up! For De Beers.
“The game used rubber bands and string to pick up and stack plastic cups,” explained James Mason, a geotechnical engineer at Gahcho Kué Mine. “It was a fun way to demonstrate that solving challenges requires teamwork and the need to adapt quickly when things aren’t working.”
He led De Beers’ workshop for boys and shared information about diamond mine engineering, geology and general mine site activities. “This was tied into putting safety first as some of the children had parents who work at mines in the area or have worked at one of the mines in the past.”