Training

Why does SAFEX do Training?

Through its Training efforts SAFEX addresses developments that are peculiar to the explosives industry like the:

• Restructuring that occurs as smaller companies are acquired or absorbed by groups or larger companies.
• Reduction of employee numbers through retrenchment or early retirement that result from restructuring.
• Loss of experience and expertise because of the reduction in employees.
• Depth of explosives knowledge and expertise in operational leadership being drawn from a smaller, less experienced employee pool.
• Tendency for employees to seek job mobility and be less inclined to life-long employment with a particular company than before. This change in employment culture also leads to an erosion of explosives experience in organizations.

The SAFEX approach

• SAFEX will not duplicate training that is available elsewhere. SAFEX’s training focuses on explosives and its unique needs leaving general training to specialist in the respective fields. However, SAFEX willingly collaborates with experts in relevant aspects and technologies to develop explosives specific training programmes.
• In the Training it offers, SAFEX has to consider the make-up of its Members. Our membership is diverse: they are located in a number of countries all over the world; speak a variety of languages; and operate in different cultures according to different explosives regulations. Furthermore, company size is an important issue. Small companies have budgetary constraints. It means  employees tend to multitask and their is little job cover. Small companies also cannot afford the specialist functions and elaborate systems that are encountered in groups or large companies.

Training formats used

SAFEX offers its training in two formats. SAFEX Members can access more information on either of these formats by clicking on the relevant format:

• Classroom training. This is the traditional format in which an instructor conducts the training with personal interaction between the instructor and student.
• E-learning. This training comprises modules that are offered over the internet using a virtual learning environment (VLE).