Sukari Gold Mine

Centamin is an established gold producer, with premium listings on both the London and Toronto Stock Exchange.

Centamin’s principal asset, the Sukari Gold Mine, is a long-life, bulk tonnage open pit and underground operation. It began production in 2009 and is the first large scale modern gold mine in Egypt, as well as one of the world’s largest producing mines, forecast to produce in excess of 400,000 ounces per annum with a 12 year life of mine.

As a first mover within Egypt, Centamin recognises the business and societal importance in building a responsible culture that values and supports people, creating opportunity through jobs, infrastructure, education, as well as developing their assets and delivering strong shareholder returns.

Centamin was looking for a training partner to deliver targeted leadership programs for three levels of leaders at Sukari: managers, superintendents, and leading hands / supervisors. Their objective was to upskill local employees and build a capable local management team to reduce the need for expatriates.

Chief executive Martin Horgan said the company aimed to develop and create opportunities for its local workforce.

“Future Institute of Australia’s extensive leadership training experience, combined with their deep understanding of the gold mining industry, made them the preferred partner and we look forward to working with them on this important and exciting initiative,” he said.

Our Solution

Future Institute of Australia was recommended to Centamin / Sukari Gold Mine, by an Australian mining services contractor, due to our successful partnership with them in delivering bespoke leadership training across Australia.

We designed, developed and delivered three tailored leadership programs specifically for Sukari Gold Mine:

• BSB50420 Diploma of Leadership and Management – for Managers
• BSB40520 Certificate IV in Leadership and Management – for Superintendents
• Non-accredited Leadership Program – for Leading Hands and Supervisors

These programs were delivered to a total of 11 cohorts and over 100 participants, starting in early 2021. Each program was customised to address Centamin’s specific operational needs, ensuring alignment with their policies, processes and values.

Customisation and Delivery Approach

Originally planned as face-to-face programs, the COVID-19 pandemic required us to adapt our delivery method. We transitioned to a virtual trainer model, where the trainer was streamed live into the classroom (where all the participants were located). This allowed for the same classroom-based activities and interactions, ensuring the program remained highly engaging for participants.

To further enhance the learning experience, we collaborated with Sukari’s representatives before each session to customise the content and assessments to reflect their specific procedures and cultural context.

In addition, we introduced one-on-one coaching sessions for managers and superintendents between workshops. This personalised approach ensured that participants could directly apply the skills learned and receive ongoing support.

Participant Feedback

Thank you for going above and beyond to ensure our training sessions are interactive and impactful. You have a unique talent for simplifying complex concepts. Thank you for making the training sessions engaging and informative. I appreciate your dedication to helping us grow professionally. Thank you for being an exceptional trainer.

Outcomes and Results

The leadership programs have been instrumental in achieving Centamin’s goal of building leadership capabilities in its local workforce, with a notable reduction in expatriate management roles.

Key results include:

• 80% successful completions, with 10% of participants currently finalising assessments.
• Strong engagement and application of leadership techniques across all levels, leading to improved team management and decision-making.

Conclusion

Future Institute’s customised leadership development program has helped Centamin build a capable local leadership team, reducing reliance on expatriates while driving sustainable growth at the Sukari Gold Mine. We are proud of the results and look forward to continuing our collaboration with Centamin.