Glencore has taken the lead in managing its Tailings Storage Facilities (TSFs) around the world by partnering with Xpan to create the Tailings Manager Academy (TMA), an international, online, university-style learning experience.
The TMA is a place where Glencore employees can build on their existing knowledge and skills and increase their ability to make correct decisions in the design, construction, operation, monitoring, and maintenance of TSFs. A detailed curriculum covers aspects of TSF management, and industry best practices, and provides Glencore employees with the information they need to successfully apply Glencore’s high safety standards.
The TMA curriculum has been developed entirely by Xpan in collaboration with a global panel of Subject Matter Experts (SMEs) from Glencore, Hatch, and Klohn Crippen Berger across 5 continents. The TMA course material is divided into three certificates, designed for the three main employee groups at a TSF:
- Operators and technicians
- Dam owners, managers, and accountable executives
- Responsible persons and engineering staff
It is delivered online in four languages: English, Spanish, Russian, and French, allowing learners to complete the program independently, when they want, and where they want.
The TMA program reflects eLearning best practices, integrating proven instructional design and adult learning principles, with a multimedia approach to create engaging and interactive learning experiences. The modules follow a university-style model and present theory in discrete sections and topics, in a linear, asynchronous format.
Customized interactivities and knowledge checks were designed and included to help the learner retain knowledge of key topics and concepts. Expert moments are included as video segments, allowing subject matter experts to share knowledge that can only be obtained through years of specialized field experience. Learners also have access to handbooks that support the material and their learning. Lastly, end-of-module assessments and a final exam confirm the learners’ mastery of content.
