Mining giant joins forces with the Pragma Academy to Develop AM Professional Development Programme

Mining powerhouse Anglo American partnered with the Pragma Academy to deliver their Asset Management Professional Development Programme (AMPDP), is reaping the benefits from this investment with an ROI of between 500 and 600%. In addition to this success, the programme has been registered with the Engineering Council of South Africa (ECSA) for 10 Continuing Professional Development (CPD) points.

Anglo American views asset management as a core discipline and has a clear vision and strong drive to improve and be a world-class mining company. To achieve this goal, they formed the Asset Strategy and Reliability (AS&R) team to develop a framework as a subset of the overall Anglo American asset management system, focusing on the safe and reliable use of assets in existing operations, covering fixed plant, mobile equipment and infrastructure. The resulting activities triggered resistance to change. To counter this threat, the team identified training as a vehicle to drive change, get business units on board with the new framework and promote a more consistent approach to asset management. To make it work, the AS&R team needed an intelligent training solution that would provide knowledge and add measurable value to the organisation.

With its engineers, learning specialists and asset management consulting expertise, the Pragma Academy was a natural choice for Anglo American to partner with on this journey. In 2017, the AS&R and Pragma Academy joined hands to implement the AMPDP. The AMPDP had to tick four boxes:

• Build an organisation-wide asset management capability, educating on what good asset management is,
• Align sites on a single asset management blueprint, referencing the new way of working and creating a shared vision for sustained improvement in asset management processes,
• Form part of an integral personal development plan
• Use the training as a vehicle to generate value.

All four of these objectives have been achieved, and the training is now embedded in Anglo American’s career planning document.

Because adults are internally motivated when they learn, they must feel that they want to do it and that it is value-adding. Anglo American as an organisation places such high value on the programme that employees are more motivated to enrol and complete it. As part of the curriculum, learners need to complete an improvement project independently and get the opportunity to achieve measurable results by drawing on their own experience in addition to their newly acquired knowledge. Therefore, learners have a goal to achieve, and the learning is 100% relevant to their roles and growth within the organisation. These elements combined plays a significant role in the project’s overall success.

The AMPDP programme follows a modular approach that ensures a logical progression of learning across key asset management elements. The programme’s steering committee carefully selected the aspects covered by the programme to achieve the objectives above. The outcomes, topics, content and assessment of each module were developed jointly by the Pragma consultants and the relevant Anglo American subject matter experts.

From start to graduation, the programme takes learners six months to complete. Originally, the programme was developed following the blended learning model with face-to-face classroom training, e-learning and project work. Following the Covid-19 lockdown, the Pragma Academy, under Pragma Academy Managing Director Arnold Botha’s guidance, converted the classroom training to virtual classroom delivery. The Academy Portal, our learning management system (LMS), allows learners to access learning materials easily, upload and submit assignments and exercises and revisit recorded facilitated sessions on demand.

Participants start their learning experience by assessing the maturity of asset management at their sites against the AS&R Framework, followed by an online review of their current knowledge and understanding of asset management.

The program is then delivered over two intensive and interactive workshops of five days each – with virtual classroom training, and these sessions are spread out over a few weeks to minimise screen fatigue and allow learners the opportunity to implement learning immediately. The workshops are facilitated by Pragma Academy subject matter experts involved in developing and maintaining the program and the AS&R team. Lessons are structured to allow engagement with the facilitator and learners to work in groups with their peers, using the virtual classroom break-away rooms. Classes are recorded and uploaded to the LMS for learners to access.

Between the contact sessions, participants identify an improvement project to apply their learning. After the second contact session, participants implement these projects with the help and guidance of two experienced AM consultants.

The Pragma Academy prides itself on merging asset management knowledge with learning best practices to create structured skills development and role-based learning. By including the latest learning methodologies and technology in online and classroom training courses, the Academy provides clients with impactful learning experiences. To learn more, visit Expert Enterprise Asset Management Training and Consulting.