Yukon College has $2 million to start two mining technology programs.

The Geosciences Technology and Geo-Hydrological Technology programs will begin in September 2012.

The intent is to give Yukoners the training needed to thrive in the territory's growing mining sector, Shelagh Rowles, the college's acting vice-president of education and training, said at a press conference this morning.

"Strong industry players have been directing us, saying that this is something that's needed. So we've responded,” Rowles said.

Yukon MP Ryan Leef also spoke at the event, representing the Canadian Northern Economic Development Agency (CanNor), which is giving over $900,000 to the programs.

Yukon College will fund over half of the new program with a total exceeding $1 million, while the territorial government is handing over $75,000 to help the college with its new initiative.

Leef addressed a small crowd in the college board room, including new cabinet ministers Currie Dixon and Scott Kent and Yukon Chamber of Mines president Claire Derome.

Since international demands for minerals and precious metals are increasing, he said, the requirement for skilled, local workers in the industry has "nowhere to go but up.”

Graduates will have the opportunity to work in the mineral exploration, remediation and reclamation stages of mining, he said.

"These programs will ensure Yukoners have the right skills and the capacity to participate fully in the northern economy and help it grow,” said Leef.

Students in both programs will take the first year of classes together and specialize in their second year.

They'll also have the choice of doing a one-year certificate program or a two-year diploma program.

The program will cover topics like physical, structural, historical and sedimentary geology, petrology, hydrogeology, geophysics and safety procedures, math, chemistry and applied sciences.

Geo-hydrological technology students will learn how to assess groundwater quality and quantity and remediate contaminated sites.

The whole program is geared to train students to be geological technicians, Rowles explained.

She said the program is highly technical, and students need strong math and science skills to excel.

"Up to date, we've had many trades apprenticeships, we've had entry level programs targeted for the mining industry, but we've not had a full diploma program,” said Rowles.

"We're providing an opportunity for people to get into the industry in a more in-depth way, so they're not just simply looking at entry level positions.”

As for getting the program going by September, Rowles admitted it's going to be "intense,” but assured the crowd it would happen.

Derome, talking to reporters after the announcement, said she supports the new program but quickly passed the questions on to the chief geologist at Golden Predator, Michael Burke.

Burke's message was clear: we have some local workers, but we could always have more. In his camps this past summer, about half of the people were Yukoners.

"Industry much prefers having a local workforce than having to import them from somewhere else,” Burke said.

"And If they do import them, maybe they end up like me,” he said.

He moved to the territory to work temporarily in the mining sector and ended up starting a family in the Yukon.