Modern organizations that want to get maximum returns from the investments focus on creating a human capital difference through effective training and development programs for their employees.
As they say, the workforce is the most asset for any organization for the purpose of unleashing the real potential of this asset to become a great organization from a good one.
In Liberia, ArcelorMittal Liberia (AML) has been exploring the importance of training and development programs for employees in various ways.
Training and development programs AML has invested in provide a host of benefits for workplace productivity which enhances employee performance, boost employee productivity, reduce employee turnover, and improve company culture.
The company has devoted about millions in what seems to be the most technically equipped and well staff vocational training center in Liberia.
The ArcelorMittal Training Academy offers technical skills in the areas of mechanical and electrical engineering, welding, etc., at no cost to young Liberians.
On Wednesday July 19, 2023, AML graduated and certified eight train drivers (locomotive operators) at its Buchanan concession area.
This was after they completed more than 18 months of international standard intensive training all at the cost of the company.
Monday’s graduation, the company said, constitutes the fourth batch of staff who have so far been trained to operative trains that transports ore and other logistics between Buchanan and Yekepa.
The eight now locomotive operatives were all hired as train assistants and assigned to professional mentors who supervised them and gave feedback to management.
Aside from employees’ training, on a yearly basis the company commits thousands of dollars towards international scholarships for Liberians in different countries across the world.
These young Liberians are fully sponsored to acquire professional graduate degrees in the engineering and varied business disciplines.
The company said they believe that such advanced training solutions tend to achieve both short- and long-term business objectives for AML herself and Liberia at large since, in fact, most of these scholarship awardees get potentially hired as employees, thereby increasing performance rate significantly.
AML’s commitment to developing staff capacity has made many of employees working with other concession nowadays understand the need for continuous skill improvement and learning to be competent, thus the reason why training has become the buzz word in the mining industry.
Even though multiple factors matter for the growth and success of an organization, a productive workforce is one of the key factors that the ArcelorMittal emphasizes on to be sustainable.
Because, for AML staff capacity development has not only given competitive advantage to the employees but also it has helped enhance employees’ capability to adapt the ever-changing business environments in the technical mining industry.
The training regularly offered by ArcelorMittal knowledgeable and competent workforce triggers overall organizational development, the kind of activity that is even of key consideration in Liberia’s public sector.
The important point to make a note here is training and development as continuous process should be improved and upgraded at regular intervals as the skills may become obsolete after a certain time especially in technical mining area.