Geology advocate to present at Mineral Exploration Roundup

Andy Randell teaches the Environmental Restoration class at the British Columbia Institute of Technology about geology and mine permitting. — photo courtesy Andy Randell

For two years Andrew Randell, a professional geoscientist with Strata GeoData Services, has been helping unemployed geologists stay sharp with free workshops and seminars, and with encouragement that the economic downturn will eventually reverse. Now he is taking his message to the next level, presenting two talks at the Association for Mineral Exploration British Columbia’s (AME BC) Mineral Exploration Roundup, January 26 to 29, 2015. The event will be held at the Vancouver Convention Centre East.

Randell has been asked to speak at two sessions during the four-day event: first at the Student Orientation on Sunday, which is followed by a question-and-answer session on a panel, and the second at the Human Resources Breakout Session on Thursday.

Randell will offer the student group a continuation of the messages he provides at his workshops—geology is a great industry, but this is a tough time to enter.

“Students should try to grab whatever opportunities they can to get experience, but at the same time not beat themselves up if they have to work in a bar,” he said. “We all have bills to pay, after all.”

Randell will also talk about volunteer opportunities and outreach work that can help up-and-comers gain valuable experience.

At the human resources (HR) session, Randell will present data from a survey he is conducting about employment and activity in the sector.

Early survey results say that for many people, the end really is nigh. Sixty per cent of respondents so far have been out of the geology or engineering industry for over a year and 50 per cent of them are considering leaving the industry altogether for something more stable.

Others are hanging in with part-time or temporary work, and more than 30 per cent of all respondents—employed or unemployed—are earning less than $1,000 monthly.

“This is why so many cannot afford the courses offered by organizations like APEG (Association of Professional Engineers and Geoscientists of British Columbia) or AME BC, and it is a major hurdle in attending conferences,” Randell said.

The most at-risk group, said Randell, is the 25- to 44-year-old range of people holding professional designations.

“They are not getting hired because they are overqualified or too expensive,” he said. “This also means that for their temporary work outside of the industry, they are not able to get (upper level) jobs, as they are seen as flight risks when things pick up again.”

Randell will discuss these and other survey results, including how he will use the data to extend his own programming to appeal to all age groups and professional levels.

“I can talk about some of the issues I have heard from people over the past few months,” he said. “I have some big cheerleaders on the HR side of things right now, from recruitment agencies to companies themselves, so I think that the ideas, based on real current information, will be an interesting topic.”

Besides raising the profile of his free workshops to attract users and company sponsors, Randell is enthusiastic about attending the roundup because he is looking to inspire collective action.

“I hope by presenting data and experiences we can, as an industry, start to take action to save ourselves,” he said. “I know it is a lofty goal, but planting the seed is a good start—from the smallest acorns grow the mightiest oaks after all.”

He is currently running a crowdfunding campaign for his workshop group, with a goal to raise $65,000 for basic supplies, marketing material, software and research tools and—if all goes well—rent for a space for geologist education, workshops and seminars, and small company use.

“If I can prove some level of public and industry support, then I stand a better chance of getting government grants in the future,” he said.

Randell is actively seeking companies to participate in his Hive Initiative, in which he and select groups of graduates work on real company data for a reduced fee. The company receives quality work for less expense, while his group earns experience and some income.

“As an industry we need to unite and pull together—the days of jealously defending our own corner are over,” he said. “Every person, every asset, every dollar is intrinsically linked, and companies who shut their doors to exploration and hunker down are also shutting the doors on the development and education of their future staff. It pays to start now.”

Randell is considering joining AME BC’s board of directors to continue his outreach work and help answer the association’s need for new ways to engage members and the province as a whole.

“I have spent the last 12 months working independently on this issue and have a unique perspective on the issues, backed up with real data,” he said. “I am also keen to explore the kind of reach we could have as part of AME BC—the engagement with First Nations and the province as a whole would be a fascinating undertaking.”