By Brent Bosker

Cameco takes employment knowledge abroad

Dec 12, 2010 | 7:50 AM

Cameco is taking their experience of hiring and training First Nations to the land down under.

The Saskatoon based uranium firm, who bills itself as being a leader in employing Aboriginal People, has been committed to the local employment approach in northern Saskatchewan for years.

“It’s been hugely successful, so much so that we have been noted for a diversity award,” said Kaylyn Schroeder, Cameco vice-president of human resources.

“Diversity is a real asset for us — and it's really helped us achieve our goal of doubling uranium production (by 2018),” Schroeder said, during a phone interview.

Cameco is now applying their successful employment model and lessons learned in Australia, as they work to develop a uranium mine.

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The property the company has acquired is close to a local indigenous group, many of whom have little education and few job skills.

“One of our principles is to ensure we hire locally,” said Schroeder.

“Early on already we have 10 Martu hired and are starting the training program.”

“We like to take a core group in and kind of go through the programs, customize them for that area and then to start to roll them out long before actually operating.”

It’s the first time their hiring and training program has been deployed outside of Canada to this extent.

Cameco strongly believes that it’s important to hire locally and contribute to the communities they have an impact on, Schroeder said.

“In order for us to achieve our goals … it's really important that we have a stable workforce. And (this) provides us a stable workforce because they are working and living in the community,” she said.

Over half of Cameco's northern workforce is currently aboriginal, which the company plans to expand to 67 per cent.

bbosker@panow.com