Summer Vacation Students
Every year during the university summer vacation Newmont Waihi Gold employs tertiary students to work in various departments around the site. This year is no exception.
This summer NWG is employing 16 students from different backgrounds and fields of study, attending universities and polytechnics all over the country.
This is a valuable opportunity for the students to gain work experience and skills that they can use in the workforce. To ensure they obtain the greatest benefit from their time with us they are taking part in a student programme which is largely run by the students themselves. The programme includes site tours, fortnightly question and answer sessions and presentations from department heads or key staff. This gives the students an overall understanding of the site and operations.
The presence of the students, with fresh eyes and a younger perspective, is also an opportunity for NWG to benefit. Each student is undertaking an assignment that will contribute to the company's Continuous Improvement programme. The students are to identify an issue or activity within their work area, analyse its mechanics or procedures and offer solutions or ways to improve it.
The tertiary students will be working on site until mid to late February, when they head back to their studies.
The End of an Era ...
Newmont Waihi Gold has handed over the management of public mine tours to Vision Waihi Trust (VWT).
The Trust has employed tour guides and is running the tours on a commercial basis six days a week. All proceeds from mine tours will go towards operating costs and towards the work of VWT to promote initiatives that ensure Waihi's sustainability in readiness for mine closure.
Initially NWG is providing and maintaining the tour minibus and the company is assisting the new tour guides to familiarise themselves with the operation so they have a good understanding and knowledge to pass on to their visitors.
In the longer term VWT will have established a sustainable commercial venture that will add value to the Waihi experience for visitors to the local region.
This marks the end of an era for NWG as public mine tours have been run by the company since before operations began. Walking tours to view drill sites preceded minibus tours, which began in 1987.
Tours for school groups and sessions in the Education Centre will continue to be managed by Newmont Waihi Gold staff. Bookings are essential and can be made by phone (07 863 9880) or email jeannine.wiki@newmont.com
To book seats on VWT's mine tours, call at the Waihi Visitor Centre, email bookings@waihi.org.nz or phone 07 863 9015.
