Haul truck operators, fixed plant mechanics and electricians have a new tool to help them plan their career advancement at Freeport, with the addition of those job titles to SuccessFactors Learning, the company’s learning management system.
This is part of an initiative to better define the Lines of Progression for every employee, making it easier for them to see what skills, training and experience they need to advance to the next levels of their professions. The learning management system or LMS supports this by providing a digital platform where employees can track their progress as they develop necessary skills needed to advance, for example enabling a haul truck operator to go from Level 1 to 2.
The LMS has been available for the Diesel Diagnostic and Mobile Equipment mechanics since May 2024. Haul truck operators were added in October. Electricians and Fixed Plant Mechanics, who work on stationary equipment in places like the mill and smelter, have had access to the LMS since December. The Lines of Progression and various training offerings demonstrate the company’s commitment to the investing in your growth pillar of Proudly Creating Better Futures.
The latest additions raise to five the number of trades that can use the LMS, all professions in high demand, which makes recruiting and retaining workers a challenge, said Mike Brewer, Manager-Career Development Programs.
“There was a real focus on how we keep these critical skills in our operations,” Brewer said. “If we don’t have these roles, and we don’t have succession planning, and we don’t have consistency across our sites, it’s going to hurt our operations.”
In 2025, the goal is to add at least four new Lines of Progress to the LMS: Leaching Operations, Milling Operations, RCM Technician and Instrumentation Technician.
Every job has a line of progression, the steps the employee needs to move to the next level. Some are more structured than others, with employees typically relying on help from their supervisors and paper checklists to identify requirements and track progress.
The LMS does that electronically. It allows workers to see where they stand in terms of the training, certifications and skill levels they need to advance. It also is a useful tool for supervisors to help their team members with career planning, and training departments to determine what courses and other assets are in high demand and whether additional sessions are needed.
Formalizing and standardizing lines of progression while adding job categories to LMS are part of improving the Employee Experience, one of five Strategic Themes in the Americas to help the company safely achieve its targets by being the Best at the Basics.
“Freeport cares about your development, that’s the bottom line,” said Jim Merwin, Director-Talent Management. “We are putting a lot of effort into the development of our employees and the advancement of their careers. We are helping you create a better future.”