Hindustan Zinc Mining Academy’, set up by Hindustan Zinc, in collaboration with ‘Skill Council for Mining Sector’ and training partner ‘Indian Institute of Skill Development Pvt. Ltd’, is expected to spend Rs.30 Crore in the next five years to train about 500 ITI pass-outs in Jumbo Drill Operations and Winding Engine operations.

Recently the company organized placement drive for these students and 126 passing-out students got jobs with an average package of Rs. 25,000/- per month. Hindustan Zinc’s business partners have come together to employ these trained youths and use them for their different operations. These candidates have been recruited by companies like SK Khetan, BGE Mining Pvt Ltd, SMSL, Aravali Construction Co, Teknomin Construction Limited, UTM Engineering Pvt Ltd, AAC Mining Executors India Pvt Limited, to name a few. Hindustan Zinc itself engages about 200 Jumbo Drill Operators and 45 Winding Engine Operators. As Hindustan Zinc mines are in expansion mode, the opportunities for employment is only likely to increase.

The Chief Executive Officer of Hindustan Zinc, Mr. Sunil Duggal, who is also the Chairman of Governing Board of ‘Skill Council for Mining Sector’, informed that “Hindustan Zinc completely endorses the Hon’ble Prime Minister Narendra Modi Ji’s thoughts on the scope of creating millions of employment opportunities through natural resource sector. The prime objective of setting up ‘Hindustan Zinc Mining Academy’ is to enhance employability of eligible youths of Rajasthan. This Academy will provide trained Jumbo Drill Operators and Winding Engine Operators to the Indian mining industry, who would also have training in Banks-men and Bellman Operations. The company is set to invest Rs. 30 crore in five years on the training program.”

 Hindustan Zinc Mining Academy has three Centres running at Bhilwara, Rajsamand and Zawar near Udaipur with 260 candidates from all over Rajasthan. All Academy centres run in a professional manner with inbuilt monthly monitoring systems. Since the course is residential, the academy has a provision for free boarding and lodging facilities for all the selected candidates in all training programs.

 Earlier, in October 2016, Hindustan Zinc commenced 18 month long Jumbo Drill Operator Training to 120 ITI/Diploma pass-outs and in Winding Engine Operator Training Program, 47 ITI/Diploma pass-outs were enrolled in February 2017 and their eight months training got complete in October 2017. Besides Winding Engine Training, these candidates are also being given exposure in Banks-men and Bellman Operations.

 With the setting up of India’s perhaps first Mining Academy, Hindustan Zinc is developing an ecosystem and contributing in unlocking India’s potential in mining. This is certainly going to enhance India’s capability in the skilling of people in mining space and putting India on growth path.

About five years back, in the year 2012, mining sector accounted for about 3 million direct jobs and additional 8 million jobs indirectly. But the mining sector aspires to contribute 7-8% to India’s GDP and if this happens, India would realize a GDP of 9% in the coming years. This is expected to create at least 25 million jobs, directly and indirectly.

 The McKinsey Global Institute report suggests that development of mining sector will be important if India has to achieve 7% plus GDP growth. The report further says that mining sector alone has the potential to create 6 million additional jobs by 2025. The sector can contribute an additional USD 125 billion to India’s output and USD 47 billion to India’s GDP by 2025.