TIMMINS, ON:  Northern College, in partnership with NPLH Drilling, Taykwa Tagamou FN, Moose Cree First Nation and Mushkegowuk Council is pleased to celebrate the graduation of the first four-week Diamond Drilling Common Core – Basic Training students.

Announced in August, the partnership is specifically designed to provide skilled trades opportunities for Indigenous peoples, women and youth learners which aims to develop a new skilled workforce for surface and underground drilling environments.

“We offer our sincere congratulations to this first group of graduates,” stated Mitch Dumas, Northern College President & CEO. “We know that they will put the skills they learned during their training to good use as they enter the workforce and find opportunities for themselves in the robust mining industry throughout the region.”

Running throughout November, the program is specifically tailored to meet the needs of  NPLH Drilling – of the nine successful graduates of the program, three were offered employment with the company ahead of graduation.

“NPLH Drilling is proud to celebrate the success of our 4-week diamond drilling program, which has been made possible through our strong partnership with Taykwa Tagamou First Nation and Moose Cree First Nation,” stated Gabriella Desmarais, Indigenous Relations and Community Engagement Lead at NPLH Drilling. “This collaboration has been an incredible opportunity for mutual growth, and we are excited to continue working with our partners to offer similar opportunities in the New Year.”

“We are especially eager to welcome three of our graduates as they begin their hands-on training later this week at Detour and Côté Gold. We look forward to seeing them develop their skills and contribute to the industry,” added Desmarais.

Northern College, NPLH Drilling,  Taykwa Tagamou Nation and Moose Cree First Nation offer sincere congratulations to our graduates and wish them luck as they enter this new phase in their lives, equipped with the skillset they’ll need to build a rewarding career.

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About Northern College of Applied Arts & Technology

 

Established in 1967, Northern College leads the province in Key Performance Indicators (KPIs). It holds the top ranking in the graduate employment rate category in the province of Ontario. It has the highest employer satisfaction score for Northern College alums compared to all English-speaking colleges in Ontario (2023). The College has four main campuses in Haileybury, Kirkland Lake, Moosonee and Timmins, and many Access Centres, providing post-secondary education and academic upgrading to Indigenous learners in remote communities along the James Bay coast. Northern College is a highly respected community and regional partner with nearly 50,000 graduates, including the Haileybury School of Mines (est. 1912); the College is critical in the region’s economic development and global mining influence. Northern College serves the educational needs of post-secondary, apprenticeship, and contract training, both on-site and through remote learning, as well as delivering academic upgrading and employment services. Its catchment area covers 160,000 square kilometres, roughly the size of France, and includes over 65 communities – 18 First Nations.

 

Media Contact:

 

Gabriella Desmarais
Indigenous Relations & Community Engagement Lead
NPLH Drilling
705.268.7956
gdesmaraisbrunet@nplhdrilling.ca

Kyle Gennings (he/him)
Communications & Government Relations Officer
Marketing, Communications, and External Relations
P. 705-235-3211 ext 2276
F. 705-235-6888
C. 705-288-1101