Sudbury, ON — In celebration of Mining Week (May 12–18), My Mining Tee partnered with Thiess and NORCAT to launch a first-of-its-kind initiative aimed at inspiring local youth to explore careers in mining. The event, which culminated on May 28 with a special Youth Mining Experience at NORCAT, brought together high school students from across Greater Sudbury for a hands-on, high-tech look into the world of mining.
“Mining is the heart of Sudbury’s past, present, and future,” said Jeff Lafortune, founder of My Mining Tee and organizer of the event. “We wanted to give students the chance to experience firsthand how innovative and exciting this industry really is.”
The event not only highlighted Sudbury’s proud mining heritage but also spotlighted the cutting-edge technology shaping its future. The student feedback made clear the impact of this approach.
Berkley Pitura, a local high school student, said the experience changed her perspective, saying “I didn’t have an interest in mining before, but now that I’ve seen the simulators, I think it’s more of an option. Now I can think about it.”
For Meeka Duguay, the experience opened an entirely new door: “Before coming here, I didn’t really have an idea that I would become a miner or go into this industry, but now that I think about it, the experience I had today—it was great. This experience has piqued my interest.”
As part of the initiative, students were invited to enter a video contest answering the question, “Why is mining important to Sudbury?” The top entrants were rewarded with an exclusive tour of NORCAT’s facilities, featuring immersive sessions with the Thiess Heavy Equipment Operator Simulator and NORCAT’s Virtual and Augmented Reality Simulators. Participants practiced fire extinguishing skills and performed operational safety checks using a virtual reality training program while being fully immersed in a virtual environment.
The event was organized in collaboration with Thiess, a global mining services company, and NORCAT, a Sudbury-based leader in training and innovation for the mining sector. Through their combined resources, students were given an engaging and realistic glimpse into life in the industry.
Katie Cousineau, the Youth Program Coordinator at NORCAT, emphasized the value of this new outreach approach:
“The initiative, targeting youth outreach and the exploration of the mining industry as a rewarding career path, invited students to explore why mining is important to Sudbury as part of their celebrations for National Mining Week (May 12th–18th).”
“Ambassadors from four local schools received the opportunity to visit NORCAT’s Maley offices, where they had the opportunity to experience operating a mining vehicle hands on, courtesy of the Thiess Heavy Equipment Operator Simulator. Students were also able to experience an underground environment in virtual reality, utilizing programs built in Sudbury for the mining industry by NORCAT’s own Studio team. Students learned about the multitude of career opportunities in the mining industry, including those on the surface which are essential to the day-to-day operations of mining companies,” she added.
Cousineau further emphasized the value of this new outreach approach:
“I’m really excited to be working with Thiess, especially because a lot of my outreach is focused on students who are already quite interested in the trades. Thiess has been doing some great outreach to students who maybe didn’t realize that they had mining as an option for their future career.”
“It’s been really exciting for me to get to reach out to a new demographic of students and show them all the potential that the mining industry has for them—and get some really great feedback in return.”
Brent Salem, Director of Operations – Canada East at Thiess Mining, reinforced the importance of engaging youth early and meaningfully:
“At Thiess Mining Canada, we understand that the long-term success and sustainability of the mining industry rely on engaging the next generation of skilled, innovative, and environmentally responsible professionals. To that end, we are expanding our youth outreach initiatives to inspire young Canadians to view mining not only as a viable career path but also as a platform for meaningful contribution and impact.”
He emphasized the company’s long-term commitment to youth engagement and workforce development:
“Through a range of initiatives—including school programs, job fairs, community partnerships, and hands-on learning opportunities—we aim to showcase the diverse and rewarding careers available in mining. Whether their interests lie in the skilled trades, Operations, engineering, environmental stewardship, or technological innovation, we want young people to see mining as an industry where they can grow, thrive, and lead.
Our goal is to ensure that the future workforce is well-prepared, empowered, and enthusiastic about shaping the future of mining in Canada.”
Michelle Charon, a teacher at École secondaire Macdonald-Cartier, attended the event with one of her students in the school’s Specialist High Skills Major (SHSM) mining program. She was impressed by the hands-on exposure and the possibilities it opened up.
“It was nice to come because I didn’t even know this (NORCAT simulators) existed, and I don’t think our staff, our teachers necessarily know that you can bring your students to have this simulation—to be able to have the experience of being in a big truck, and then the mine scoop. My student liked it. He wants to do heavy equipment mechanics for mining. So this was a good experience for him to be in the environment without actually going to a mine site.”
The goal of the Youth Mining Experience was to inspire curiosity and encourage more young people to see mining not just as a traditional job, but as a high-tech, evolving, and rewarding career path. With Sudbury recognized globally as a hub of mining innovation, this kind of grassroots outreach may prove crucial to securing the industry’s future workforce.
“We organized this Youth Mining Experience with Thiess and NORCAT to educate and inspire local youth about the exciting and evolving mining career opportunities right here in Sudbury,” Lafortune said. “Together, we showcased the innovation, technology, and real-world pathways that make this industry a strong and rewarding option for the next generation.”
Educators, students, and industry professionals alike expressed hopes that this will be the beginning of an annual tradition.
“This is the first year we’ve been invited to this. So now that we know, it would be wonderful to see it potentially becoming an annual event,” said Charon.
NORCAT was delighted to have the opportunity to promote local mining operations and give irreplaceable hands-on experience as students explore their future career paths.
If this year’s success is any indication, the Youth Mining Experience is set to become a new cornerstone of Mining Week in Sudbury—opening eyes, minds, and doors for the leaders and innovators of tomorrow.
