Imagine getting the chance to job shadow in three different positions that you think you might like to do, before actually having to decide. Well, that’s what some Baffinland employees now get to do with three departments at the Mary River Mine. They now spend a full week in each position, and then get to choose where they’d like to work the most. It’s a new initiative that we just put into place at Baffinland, and it’s already been a huge success.

I’m Matthew Clark, Baffinland’s Senior Director of Community & Strategic Development. I also had the pleasure of training the first group of Inuit recruits in June, including Nora Eecheak, who loved learning about the mine so much, she earned the affectionate nickname ‘Nora the Explorer.’

“My three weeks in Mary River were awesome,” says Nora. “I mostly liked working at Site Services because the people who work there are so nice and explain exactly what you ask them about. I really loved how they communicate with each other when there is an issue to fix.”

Let’s back up a bit. Baffinland began offering On-Site Work Readiness Training in 2019. Originally, trainees were community residents who job shadowed five different positions at the mine, over seven days. But at that time, they had no choice which departments they were assigned to work in.

Skip forward to the pandemic, some unexpected global downtime, and a chance to review and improve the state of the program. Baffinland consulted with the general managers at the site, as well as site HR, senior directors, training team members and the communities - the result was a brand-new program born from their feedback.

The first six trainees arrived in Mary River in June 20, 2022, eager to put their new skills to the test. They had all recently graduated from the Heavy Equipment Operator Training Program in Morrisburg, Ontario, which Baffinland sponsors. They got to choose which departments at the site to work in, including Road Maintenance, Site Services, Procurement and Logistics, and Mine Operations.

Owen Merkosak was one of those eager trainees. He told us he was excited for the new opportunity. “I am able to learn, while I am working at site, everyone was very welcoming, and good information was always provided.”

Back to Nora the Explorer. Nora said she loved the training, and especially the people. “Before I came to Mary River, I did not know most of the jobs. Now… I know how the departments work, how they run it. I loved how they work together, and communicate well. Site Services workers started calling me ‘Nora the Explorer’ because I was going to every department exploring new stuff that I do not know…  I love hearing that nickname because it made them smile and happy, which I loved seeing them like that.”

Marilyn Ikeperiar is another one of our amazing trainees. He says he really enjoyed working in the different departments, and that he felt welcomed at the site. “I came to learn new things, and I did, but I really enjoyed Procurement & Logistics the most.”

All six participants successfully completed the three weeks of On-Site Work Readiness training. Now they are being matched to a department to start their new careers. And that’s what I call a Baffinland success story.

If you want to be a part of our great Baffinland team, I encourage you to contact us on our careers website: https://careers.baffinland.com/

ᐹᕙᓐᓛᓐᑯᑦ  ᑲᔪᓯᑦᑎᐊᕐᓂᕐᒧᑦ ᐅᓂᒃᑳᖓᑦ − ᐅᔭᕋᖕᓂᐊᕐᕕᖕᒥ ᐱᓕᒻᒪᒃᓴᓂᕐᒥ ᐱᓕᕆᐊᒃᓴᖅ

ᐃᓱᒪᓇᔭᕈᕕᑦ ᐱᕕᖃᖅᑎᑕᐅᓗᑎᑦ ᐃᖅᑲᓇᐃᔭᕐᕕᖕᒥ ᐃᖅᑲᓇᐃᔭᖅᑎᓂᒃ ᒪᓕᑲᑕᒡᓗᑎᑦ ᐱᖓᓱᓄᑦ ᐊᔾᔨᒌᖏᑦᑐᓄᑦ ᐃᖅᑲᓇᐃᔮᓄᑦ ᐃᓱᒪᒋᔭᑎᑦ ᐊᓕᐊᓇᐃᒋᓇᔭᕐᓗᒋᑦ, ᐃᓱᒪᓕᐅᓚᐅᖏᓐᓂᕐᓂᑦ. ᑕᐃᒪ, ᑖᒃᑯᐊ ᐃᓚᖏᑦ ᐹᕙᓐᓛᓐᑯᑦ ᐃᖅᑲᓇᐃᔭᖅᑎᖏᑦ ᒫᓐᓇ ᑕᐃᒪᐃᓕᐅᕐᓂᐊᖅᑐᑦ ᐱᖓᓱᓂᒃ ᐱᓕᕆᕕᐅᔪᓂᒃ ᐱᓕᕆᐊᖃᑎᖃᕐᓗᑎᒃ ᓄᓘᔮᖕᓂ ᐅᔭᕋᓐᓂᐊᕐᕕᖕᒥ. ᒫᓐᓇ ᐱᓇᓱᐊᕈᓯᓕᒫᒥᒃ ᐊᑐᓂ ᐃᖅᑲᓇᐃᔮᒦᖃᑦᑕᕐᓂᐊᖅᑐᑦ, ᐊᒻᒪᓗ  ᓂᕈᐊᕈᓐᓇᖅᓯᓗᑎᒃ  ᓇᒥ  ᐃᖅᑲᓇᐃᔭᕈᒥᒋᓛᖕᒪᖔᔾᔪᒃ. ᑖᓐᓇ ᓄᑖᖅ ᐱᓕᕆᐊᕆᓵᖅᑕᕗᑦ ᓄᓘᔮᓂᑦ, ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᑲᔪᓯᑦᑎᐊᖅᓯᒪᓪᓗᓂ.

ᒫᑎᐅ ᑲᓛᒃᖑᔪᖓ, ᐹᕙᓐᓛᓐᑯᑦ ᑐᑭᒧᐊᒃᑎᑦᑎᔨᒻᒪᕆᐊ ᓄᓇᓕᖕᓂᑦ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᖃᓄᖅᑑᕈᑎᒃᓴᓄᑦ ᐱᕙᓪᓕᐊᑎᑦᑎᓂᕐᒧᑦ. ᐊᓕᐊᓇᐃᒍᓱᓚᐅᕐᒥᔪᖓ ᐃᓕᓐᓂᐊᖅᑎᑦᑎᔪᓐᓇᓚᐅᕋᒪ ᓯᕗᓪᓕᖅᐹᖑᔪᓂᒃ ᐃᓄᖕᓂᒃ ᐱᓕᕆᔨᐅᔪᓂᒃ ᔫᓂᒥ, ᓅᕋ ᐃᔨᑦᓯᐊᖅ, ᖁᕕᐊᓱᒻᒪᕆᓚᐅᖅᑐᑦ ᐅᔭᕋᖕᓂᐊᕐᕕᐅᑉ ᒥᒃᓴᓄᑦ ᐃᓕᓐᓂᐊᕆᐊᒃᓴᖅ, ᐊᑎᖅᑖᓚᐅᖅᑐᖅ 'ᓅᕋ ᓇᕈᓇᒃᑎᒥᒃ.'

"ᐱᓇᓱᐊᕈᓯᑦ ᐱᖓᓱᑦ ᓄᓘᔮᖕᓂ ᐱᐅᔪᐊᓘᓚᐅᖅᑐᑦ," ᓅᕋ ᐅᖃᖅᐳᖅ. "ᖁᕕᐊᒋᓂᖅᐹᕆᓚᐅᖅᑕᕋ ᐃᖅᑲᓇᐃᔭᕆᐊᒃᓴᖅ ᑕᐃᒃᑯᓇᓂ ᐅᔭᕋᖕᓂᐊᕐᕕᖕᒥ ᐱᔨᑦᑎᕋᖅᑎᓄᑦ ᓲᖃᐃᒻᒪ ᐃᓄᐃᑦ ᐃᖅᑲᓇᐃᔭᖅᑐᑦ ᑕᐃᑲᓂ ᐱᑦᑎᐊᕐᒪᑕ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᐅᓂᒃᑳᑦᑎᐊᖅᐸᒃᖢᒋᓪᓗ ᐊᐱᖅᓱᕈᑎᒪ ᒥᒃᓵᓄᑦ. ᐊᓕᐊᓇᐃᒋᑦᑎᐊᓚᐅᖅᑕᕋ ᖃᓄᖅ ᐅᖃᖃᑎᒌᒃᐸᖕᒪᖔᑕ ᐱᓇᐅᓗᑕᖅᑕᖃᓕᕌᖓᑦ ᐋᖅᑭᒐᒃᓴᐅᔪᒥᒃ."

ᐅᑎᕆᐊᒐᓛᒡᓗᑕ, ᐹᕙᓐᓛᓐᑯᑦ ᐱᒋᐊᖅᑎᑦᑎᓚᐅᖅᑐᑦ ᐅᔭᕋᖕᓂᐊᕐᕕᖕᒥ ᐃᖅᑲᓇᐃᔮᒧᑦ ᐱᕙᒌᔭᕐᓂᕐᒧᑦ ᐃᓕᓐᓂᐊᒐᒃᓴᒥᒃ 2019−ᒥ. ᐃᒪᐃᓕᐅᕆᐊᙵᓚᐅᖅᑑᒐᓗᐊᑦ, ᐃᓕᓐᓂᐊᖅᑏᑦ ᓄᓇᖃᖅᑐᑦ ᐃᖅᑲᓇᐃᔭᖅᑐᓂᒃ ᒪᓕᑲᑕᖃᑦᑕᕐᓗᑎᒃ ᑕᓪᓕᒪᓂᒃ ᐊᔾᔨᒌᙱᑦᑐᓂᒃ ᐃᖅᑲᓇᐃᔮᖅᑕᐅᔪᓂᒃ ᐅᔭᕋᖕᓂᐊᕐᕕᖕᒥ, ᐅᓪᓗᑦ 7 ᐅᖓᑖᓄᑦ.  ᑭᓯᐊᓂ ᑕᐃᔅᓱᒪᓂᐅᑎᓪᓗᒍ, ᓂᕈᐊᕐᕕᖃᓚᐅᖏᑦᑐᑦ ᓇᓕᐊᖕᓄᑦ ᐱᓕᕆᕕᓐᓂᒃ ᑎᓕᔭᐅᓂᐊᕐᒪᖔᑕ ᐃᖅᑲᓇᐃᔭᕐᓂᐊᕐᓗᑎᒃ.

ᓯᕗᒻᒧᑦ ᐃᖏᕐᕋᓗᑕ ᓄᓇᕐᔪᐊᕐᒥ ᖃᓂᒪᓇᕐᔪᒧᑦ ᖄᖏᕐᓗᒍ, ᐃᓚᖏᑦ ᓂᕆᐅᓇᙱᑦᑐᑦ ᓄᓇᕐᔪᐊᕐᒥ ᐱᓕᕆᑎᑦᑎᔪᓐᓃᓚᐅᖅᑐᑦ, ᕿᒥᕐᕈᔪᓐᓇᖅᓯᓪᓗᑎᒡᓗ ᐊᒻᒪ ᐱᐅᓯᒋᐊᖅᑕᐅᓗᑎᒃ ᖃᓄᐃᓕᖓᓂᖏᑦ ᐱᓕᕆᐊᑉ. ᐹᕙᓐᓛᓐᑯᑦ ᐅᖃᖃᑎᖃᓚᐅᖅᑐᑦ  ᐊᐅᓚᑦᑎᔨᓂᑦ ᐅᔭᕋᖕᓂᐊᕐᕕᖕᒥ, ᐊᒻᒪᓗᑦᑕᐅᖅ ᐅᔭᕋᖕᓂᐊᕐᕕᑉᒥ ᐃᖅᑲᓇᐃᔭᖅᑐᓕᕆᔨᒃᑯᓐᓂᒃ, ᑐᑭᒧᐊᒃᑎᑦᑎᔨᒻᒪᕆᖕᓂᑦ, ᐃᓕᓐᓂᐊᑎᑦᑎᓂᕐᒧᑦ ᐱᓕᕆᖃᑎᒌᓂᑦ ᓄᓇᓕᖕᓂᓪᓗ −ᓴᖅᑭᓚᐅᖅᑐᖅ ᓄᑖᑦᑎᐊᖅ ᐱᓕᕆᐊᖅ ᓴᖅᑭᑎᑦᑎᓚᐅᖅᑐᑦ ᑭᐅᔾᔪᑎᖏᓐᓂᑦ.

ᓯᕗᓪᓖᑦ 6−ᖑᔪᑦ ᐱᓕᒻᒪᒃᓴᖅᑐᑦ ᑎᑭᓚᐅᖅᑐᑦ ᓄᓗᔮᖕᓄᑦ ᔫᓂ 20, 2022−ᒥᑦ, ᓄᑖᑦ ᐊᔪᙱᓐᓂᕆᔭᖏᑦ ᐊᑐᕐᓗᒋᑦ ᖃᐅᔨᓴᕐᓗᒋᑦ.     ᐱᔭᕇᓵᓚᐅᖅᑐᑦ ᐅᖁᒪᐃᑦᑐᓕᕆᔾᔪᑎᓂᒃ ᓄᓇᓯᐅᑎᓄᑦ ᐊᖁᑎᐅᓂᕐᒧᑦ ᐃᓕᓐᓂᐊᕐᕕᖕᒥᒃ ᒧᐊᕆᔅᐴᒡ, ᐋᓐᑎᐅᕆᐅᒥ, ᑖᒃᑯᐊ ᐹᕙᓐᓛᓐᑯᑦ ᑮᓇᐅᔭᖃᖅᑎᑦᑎᔨᐅᓚᐅᖅᑐᑦ.  ᓂᕈᐊᕆᐊᖃᓚᐅᖅᑐᑦ ᓇᓪᓕᐊᖕᓂᒃ ᐱᓕᕆᕝᕕᖕᓂᒃ ᑕᐃᑲᓂ ᐃᖅᑲᓇᐃᔭᕐᓂᐊᕐᒪᖔᑕ, ᐱᖃᓯᐅᑎᓪᓗᒋᑦ ᐊᖅᑯᑎᒥᒃ ᐱᕈᓐᓇᒃᓴᐃᔩᑦ, ᐅᔭᕋᖕᓂᐊᕐᕕᖕᒥ ᐱᔨᑦᑎᕋᕐᓃᑦ, ᑳᓐᑐᕌᒃᓯᖃᑦᑕᕐᓂᒧᖅ ᐊᒻᒪ ᐸᕐᓇᐃᓂᖅ, ᐊᒻᒪ ᐅᔭᕋᓐᓂᐊᕐᕕᖕᒥ ᐊᐅᓚᓂᖏᑦ.

ᐆᕙᓐ ᒥᖅᑯᓵᖅ ᐃᓚᒋᔭᐅᓚᐅᖅᑐᖅ ᐃᓕᓐᓂᐊᕈᒪᑦᑎᐊᖅᑐᓄᑦ, ᐅᖃᐅᑎᓚᐅᕐᒪᑎᒍᑦ ᖁᕕᐊᓱᖕᓂᕋᖅᖢᓂ ᓄᑖᒥᒃ ᐱᕕᒃᓴᖃᖅᑎᑕᐅᓂᕐᒥᓂᒃ. "ᐃᓕᑦᑐᓐᓇᖅᑐᖓ, ᐃᖅᑲᓇᐃᔭᖅᑎᓪᓗᖓ ᐅᔭᕋᖕᓂᐊᕐᕕᖕᒥ, ᑭᒃᑯᓕᒫᑦ ᑐᙵᓇᓚᐅᖅᑐᑦ, ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᑐᓴᐅᒪᔾᔪᑎᑦᑎᐊᕙᐃᑦ ᐊᑐᐃᓐᓇᐅᑎᑕᐅᖏᓐᓇᓚᐅᖅᑐᑦ."

ᐅᑎᕐᓗᑕ ᓅᕋ ᓇᕈᓇᒃᑎᒧᑦ. ᓄᕋ ᐅᖃᓚᐅᖅᑐᖅ ᖁᕕᐊᒋᓂᕋᖅᖢᓂᐅᒃ ᐱᓕᒻᒪᒃᓴᓂᖅ, ᐱᓗᐊᖅᑐᒥᓪᓗ  ᐃᓄᖏᑦ.  "ᓄᓗᔮᖕᓄᐊᓚᐅᙱᓐᓂᓐᓂ, ᖃᐅᔨᒪᓚᐅᙱᑕᒃᑲ ᐃᖅᑲᓇᐃᔮᒃᓴᓕᒫᑲᓴᐃᑦ. ᒫᓐᓇ... ᖃᐅᔨᒪᓕᖅᑐᖓ ᖃᓄᖅ ᐱᓕᕆᕕᐅᔪᑦ ᐊᐅᓚᓂᖃᓲᖑᒻᒪᖔᑕ, ᖃᓄᖅ ᐊᐅᓚᑕᐅᓲᖑᒻᒪᖔᑕ. ᐊᓕᐊᓇᐃᒋᓚᐅᖅᑕᕋ ᖃᓄᖅ ᐱᓕᕆᖃᑎᒌᒃᐸᖕᒪᖔᑕ, ᑐᓴᐅᒪᑎᑦᑎᑦᑎᐊᖅᐸᖕᒪᖔᑕᓗ. ᐅᔭᕋᖕᓂᐊᕐᕕᖕᒥ ᐱᔨᑦᑎᕋᖅᑏᑦ ᐅᕙᓐᓂᒃ ᐊᑎᖃᖅᑎᑦᑎᓕᓚᐅᖅᐳᑦ 'ᓅᕋ ᓇᕈᓇᕐᑎ’ ᓲᖃᐃᒻᒪ ᑕᒪᐃᓐᓄᑦ ᐱᓕᕆᕝᕕᒋᔭᐅᔪᓄᑦ ᐅᐸᖃᑦᑕᕆᐊᖃᕐᓂᐊᓚᐅᕋᒪ ᖃᐅᔨᓇᓱᒡᓗᖓ ᓄᑖᓂᒃ ᖃᐅᔨᒪᙱᑕᓐᓂᒃ...    ᐱᐅᒋᔭᕋ ᑐᓴᖅᖢᒍ ᐊᑎᖅᓯᔾᔪᑕᐅᓯᒪᔪᖅ ᖁᖓᑦᑎᐊᓚᐅᕐᒪᑕ ᖁᕕᐊᓱᒃᖢᑎᒡᓗ, ᑕᐃᓕᖓᑎᓪᓗᒋᑦ ᑕᑯᔭᕆᐊᒃᓴᖅ ᖁᕕᐊᒋᒐᒃᑭᑦ."

ᒥᐅᕆᓕᓐ ᐃᕿᐱᕆᐊᖅ ᐃᓕᓐᓂᐊᖅᑎᑦᑎᐊᕙᐅᖃᑕᐅᒻᒥᔪᖅ. ᐅᖃᓚᐅᖅᑐᖅ ᖁᕕᐊᒋᔭᖃᒻᒪᕆᓐᓂᕋᖅᖢᓂ ᐃᖅᑲᓇᐃᔭᖅᖢᓂ ᐊᑦᔨᒌᖏᑦᑐᓂ ᐱᓕᕆᕕᐅᔪᓂ, ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᑐᙵᓱᑦᑎᑕᑦᑎᐊᕐᓂᕋᓚᐅᖅᑐᖅ ᐅᔭᕋᖕᓂᐊᕐᕕᖕᒥ. "ᑎᑭᓚᐅᖅᑐᖓ ᓄᑖᓂᒃ ᐃᓕᑦᑎᔭᖅᑐᖅᖢᖓ, ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᑕᐃᒪᐃᓚᐅᖅᑐᖓ, ᑭᓯᐊᓂ ᖁᕕᐊᒋᑦᑎᐊᓚᐅᖅᑕᕋ ᑳᓐᑐᕌᒃᓯᖃᑦᑕᕐᓂᕐᒧᑦ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᐊᐅᓪᓚᖅᑐᒃᓴᓕᐅᕐᓂᕐᒧᑦ ᐱᐅᒋᓛᕆᓚᐅᖅᑕᕋ."

ᑕᒪᕐᒥᒃ ᐊᕐᕕᓂᓖᑦ ᐃᓚᐅᖃᑕᐅᔪᑦ ᐱᐊᓂᒃᓯᑦᑎᐊᓚᐅᖅᑐᑦ ᐱᓇᓱᐊᕈᓯᕐᓂᒃ ᐱᖓᓱᓂᒃ ᐅᔭᕋᖕᓂᖓᕐᕕᖕᒥ ᐃᖅᑲᓇᐃᔮᒧᑦ ᐱᕙᒌᔭᕐᓂᕐᒧᑦ ᐃᓕᓐᓂᐊᒐᒃᓴᒥᒃ. ᒫᓐᓇ ᓈᒻᒪᒋᔭᒥᖕᓄᑦ ᐃᓂᓕᐅᖅᑕᐅᓕᖅᐳᑦ ᓄᑖᒥᒃ ᐃᓅᓯᓕᒫᖏᓐᓄᑦ ᐃᖅᑲᓇᐃᔮᕆᔪᓐᓇᖅᑕᖏᓐᓄᑦ.  ᑕᐃᒪᓐᓇᓗ ᑕᐃᔭᕋ ᐹᕙᓐᓛᓐᑯᑦ ᑲᔪᓯᑦᑎᐊᕐᓂᖓᓂᒃ ᐅᓂᒃᑳᖅ.

ᐃᓚᒋᔭᐅᔪᒪᒍᕕᑦ ᐹᕙᓐᓛᓐᑯᑦ ᐱᓕᕆᖃᑎᒌᑦᑎᐊᕙᖏᓐᓄᑦ, ᐊᔭᐅᖅᑐᖅᐸᔅᓯ ᐅᖃᖃᑎᒋᓗᑎᒍᑦ ᐃᓅᓯᓕᒫᖅ ᐃᖅᑲᓇᐃᔮᖑᔪᓐᓇᖅᑐᓄᑦ ᖃᕆᓴᐅᔭᒃᑯᑦ ᐃᑭᐊᖅᑭᕕᑦᑎᒍᑦ:

https://careers.baffinland.com/