OREANDA-NEWS. The expertise accumulated by Vale over 70 years in mining and logistics in Brazil is being put to use by training a specialised work force in Mozambique and Malaysia. Since 2010 we have brought 346 apprentices from the two countries to complete their training in Brazil using on-the-job training in which they learn through practice. After completing the training, which lasts between four and eight months, the employees return to their own countries to work on Vale's operations. At the moment 81 Mozambicans are being trained in Vitуria to work in ports and on railways.

Since 2011 Vale has operated a coalmine in Moatize in Mozambique, where the Nacala Logistics Corridor is also being built. It is made up of a railway line and a port and is being built in partnership with the country's government. It is scheduled to begin operations by the end of the year.

Of the 81 Mozambicans who are being trained in Brazil in partnership with the Caminhos de Ferro de Moзambique (Mozambican Railway Line) company, 29 were trained in the Logistics Engineering Centre in Vitуria where they used modern train simulators and are now doing their on-the-job training on the Vitуria to Minas Railway network. They arrived in Brazil in March and will stay until September when they return to their country.

Another 21 apprentices are in Vitуria training as machinists while 31 are being trained in port operation and management. These groups arrived in July and will return to Africa in January 2015. 60 more Mozambicans are scheduled to arrive this year in Vitуria.

This strategy began in 2010 with a class of 47 Mozambicans. 24 were trained as train machinists and 23 were trained in mine operation. Between 2011 and 2014 more than 75 machinists and 106 mine maintenance technicians, a course which also included theoretical training in an equipment supplier, were trained.

In 2013 the initiative was extended to include Asia with the arrival of 61 Malaysian employees in Vitуria (ES), where they were trained in port operation. They have already returned to their country to work in the ore Distribution Centre which should already begin operating this quarter.