Mining and metallurgy knowledge Olympiad for students of KGHM’s educational program 'Competent in the Industry'

We educate and cooperate - the 1st edition of the 'Competent Gilbert' mining and metallurgy knowledge Olympiad conducted as part of KGHM's 'Competent in the Industry' educational programme has come to an end. Students from 10 schools from the Copper Belt and the Lubuskie Province competed in this prestigious event.

The name of the project originated from youth slang - Gilbert is the word used today to indicate people who study diligently, i.e. the proverbial ‘nerds’. The Olympiad is a testimony to KGHM’s commitment to the development of the copper sector and the promotion of young talents.

The winner of the ‘Competent Gilbert' Olympiad was the MCKK Group of Schools in Lubin. Second and third places were taken by students from the Group of Schools from Chocianów and the Group of Polytechnic Schools from Głogów. The winners received cash prizes and attractive gadgets.

The students had to demonstrate their knowledge in areas that included mining, metallurgy, electrical engineering and first aid. In the first part of the competition, teams from 10 schools had to demonstrate their knowledge of mining, metallurgy, electrical engineering, and mechatronics. The competition was very tight, with eight schools earning the maximum possible number of points.

The second part of the Olympiad was a skills test. The teams had to, among other things, take a metal sample, build a support stack (roof support), address ProfiBus cards, identify health and safety pictograms and assemble a hydraulic system. At the end of the competition, the participants were faced with a sports playoff, during which the contestants took a physical fitness test. The participants competed, but also emphasised the importance of working in a team and not only. 

The Olympiad was organised by the #teamKompetentni team, i.e. employees of the department of professional effectiveness of KGHM employees and representatives of KGHM’s divisions, including practical vocational training instructors.

For KGHM, each activity carried out in cooperation with schools as part of the 'Competent in the Industry' programme is an opportunity to encourage the best technical school students to take up employment with the company.

The aim KGHM’s 'Competent in the Industry' programme is to provide close cooperation between schools and the company, which will enable young people to be educated in accordance with the real requirements of the business and the latest developments in the copper industry. By attending sponsored classes, students can count on substantial assistance and access to teaching materials and, most importantly, they can take advantage of a dedicated scholarship programme and the opportunity to undergo practical vocational training.