Canadian Mining Expo job fair draws hundreds seeking work to Timmins

Canadian Mining Expo in Timmins hosts job fair to fill critical industry vacancies as employers seek workers. Lydia Chubak reports.

The McIntyre Community Centre has become a hub of opportunity as the Canadian Mining Expo takes place in Timmins from June 3 to 5.

Job seekers flocked to the event, eager to connect with potential employers.

“If they’re willing to take an interview, I’m all ready to do that,” said Mit Bhavsar, a Timmins resident looking for work.

“It is a new industry for me. I don’t have any background experience or education, but if someone is ... giving me a chance ... I’m totally on for it, like starting from scratch and going upwards.”

Expo organizers said mines cannot operate without workers, prompting them to expand the job fair by opening the J.P. Bickell Auditorium to 23 companies, in addition to the 70 exhibitors on the trade show floor.

“The mines employ nurses, they employ staff, they employ human resource staff, they employ the miners themselves, whether that be for open-pit operations or underground operations ... the list goes on,” said Glenn Dredhart, president of Canadian Trade-Ex.

“There’s probably over 100 positions in the mining industry, and right now they all need to be filled,” Dredhart added.

A local employment agency echoed the demand. Levert Personnel Resources said it is prepared to hire immediately.

“We have a wide range of job opportunities in the construction, mining and industrial sectors, anywhere from office administration up to skilled haul truck operators, equipment operators, management personnel - you name it,” said Courtney Jinsen, recruitment manager with Levert Personnel Resources.

While many attendees arrived with resumes in hand, mining giant Agnico Eagle encouraged applicants to visit its website.

“We have some QR codes here that are easy for them to scan, and it’ll bring them right to our careers page on the website” said Melanie Barry, talent acquisition specialist with Agnico Eagle. Look for those entry-level positions, apply online and just go from there,” said Melanie Barry, talent acquisition specialist with Agnico Eagle.

“It’s still great pay, you still get good benefits, pension. It’s a great company at whatever position you’re coming in to do,” Barry added.

Jacob Payne, a recent college graduate, drove from Woodstock, Ont., to meet with Barry after hearing about Agnico Eagle.

“I’m looking for a job, mainly to see if I can use the blasting techniques certificate that I got. It’d be a lot of fun,” Payne said.

Dredhart said mining companies consistently urge Canadian Trade-Ex to highlight their hiring needs.

“As an organizer of an event, but also as publishers of mining news and stuff like that, it’s just great that we live in an area that seems to be growing within an industry,” he said.

“In order to help that industry, we need to definitely look for the workers. That’s the bottom line — we need the employees."

Dredhart expects more than 5,000 people to attend the expo, including domestic and international visitors.