OKD is Accredited to Retrain Miners

OSTRAVA – From a long-term perspective, OKD has been ensuring qualified labour force for its future needs. In the past, we were educating young people at secondary schools and apprentice centres. We have recently revived the apprenticeship, which will however bring the first fruit only in a few years. Therefore, we also need to work with unqualified labour force.

The problems with shortage of employees qualified for work in mines, especially for mining and preparation, are being solved by OKD through retraining courses. In December, the company obtained an accreditation from the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports to carry out personnel retraining courses for “Mining Activity in Mine Underground”. The accreditation is valid for three years, i.e. until December 10, 2012.

The retraining course aims at providing theoretical and practical preparation of selected employees for work in carrying out mine workings, including performance of operating jobs underground. Both the theoretical and practical skills of the participants are checked to the extent required by the National Mining Administration under the applicable mining and related regulations.

The “Mining Activity in Mine Underground” Retraining Course Completion Certificate has the same force as the Vocational Certificate, and its validity is recognized in the EU member states.

The retraining courses have been already provided in OKD since 2000, and a number of successful training graduates represent the basic pillars of mining and heading parties. Some retraining course graduates continue to improve their education level by studying at the Secondary Industrial School in Karviná, branch of mining and mining geology (extramural studies), and Mining University in Ostrava, branch of mining engineering (combined study).

(Karol Magic, Vladimír Tomaňa)