At the end of September of this year, the project entitled “Industry Skills Center Ore Mining 4.0,” in which the Mining Chamber of Industry and Commerce (GIPH) had been actively involved as an industry partner for the past two years, formally concluded.

It all began with the introduction of a new type of educational institution into the education system in early 2023 by the Ministry of Education and Science: Industry Skills Centers (BCUs), implementing the concept of centers of vocational excellence. The Ministry envisioned BCUs to become industry-focused institutions operating:

• Education and training,
• supporting cooperation between schools and universities and employers,
• innovation and development, disseminating knowledge, new technologies, and ecological and digital transformation,
• supporting the implementation of career counseling for students and the professional activation of students, doctoral students, and graduates.

Following the establishment of the legal framework for the operation of BCUs, the opportunity arose to financially support their creation from the National Recovery and Resilience Plan (KPO). The program supporting the creation of BCUs had a total budget of PLN 1.4 billion and assumed the creation and operation of 120 industry-specific skills centers (BCUs) across the country. These funds come from the “European Funds for the Development of Social Economy” program and are earmarked for investments, equipment, and activities related to training and professional development. The Foundation for the Development of Education Systems was appointed as the program’s operator (supporting unit).

The project described above attracted the interest of the Copper Personnel Training Center (MCKK), based in Lubin – an educational institution with over 50 years of tradition and a well-established position in the Lower Silesian region. For years, MCKK has been educating specialists for industry, including the mining and metallurgical (KGHM), energy, and automation sectors. The Center offers access to professionally equipped teaching laboratories, which include modern stations for programming PLCs, mechatronic systems, industrial robotics, and vision and sensor systems. Classes at the Center are conducted using software and components from industry leaders, ensuring that the acquired skills are current and practical. The Center’s teaching infrastructure enables the delivery of training at a level that meets the standards used in modern industrial plants – both in Poland and abroad.

In the first call for proposals, the Foundation for the Development of the Education System awarded MCKK in Lubin funding for the BCU Ore Mining 4.0 project in the amount of PLN 10,998,415.54. The result is a modern building with an area of ​​over 1,000 m², housing numerous teaching labs: a self-propelled mining machine (SMG) repair workshop, a conveyor belt operator’s station with a chute and control panel, a welding simulator workshop, a mining automation workshop, a rescue and first aid workshop, a work-at-height training station, computer labs, and an OKE examination center. This makes the Branch Skills Center “Górnictwo Rud 4.0” in Lubin one of the first and most modern facilities of its kind in Poland, designed with practical and advanced vocational education in mind. BCU Górnictwo Rud 4.0 consistently specializes in industrial automation and mechatronics, which are key pillars of Industry 4.0 – a new technological era dominated by intelligent systems, digital control, and integrated production processes. These are also fields of crucial importance for the digital transformation of the economy, encompassing process automation, artificial intelligence, and the Internet of Things (IoT). BCU Górnictwo Ore 4.0 leverages the know-how and organizational experience of the project leader, MCKK, who is well-versed in the realities of the local and national labor market.

Industry-specific skills centers are established and operated based on agreements guaranteeing cooperation between the governing body (in this case, MCKK) and the industry organization responsible for the given field. The industry organization for BCU Górnictwo Ore 4.0 was the Mining Chamber of Industry and Commerce in Katowice. Other MCKK partners in this project included KGHM Polska Miedź S.A. and the Polish Copper Employers’ Association.

As part of this project, GIPH carried out the following tasks:

Task 2.1 Development and introduction of qualifications in the field of programming machines and devices for the metal ore mining industry into the Integrated Qualification System and obtaining the right to conduct certification in this field.

A series of meetings and consultations were held with employers, representatives of vocational schools, and universities, following which it was deemed desirable to establish an expert team to prepare the description of the aforementioned qualifications. To this end, a procedure was conducted to appoint external experts, selecting two specialists: Dr. Joanna Rogala-Rojek from the KOMAG Institute of Mining Technology in Gliwice and Mr. Sebastian Józefowicz from the INOVA Center for Technical Innovation in Lubin. A representative of the partner, Mr. Łukasz Świżewski (KGHM Polska Miedź – ZWR), a practitioner in the field, and two Chamber employees, Katarzyna Lipińska and Sławomir Obidziński, were also appointed to the team. The Chamber also established cooperation with the Educational Research Institute, responsible for supporting the description of the qualifications. Initial work indicated the need to change the scope of the qualification from “programming” to “automation.” The work was completed, and on October 2, 2024, the Minister of Industry received a request from the Mining Chamber of Industry and Commerce (GIPH), submitted by the Educational Research Institute – National Research Institute (PIB) in Warsaw, to include the sectoral qualification entitled “Construction, configuration, and operation of automation systems in underground mining and processing of metal ores and mineral resources” in the Integrated Qualifications System (IQS). The developed sectoral qualification is aligned with the needs of the Polish mining and processing sector, which requires specialists capable of operating and optimizing advanced automation systems. The resources of copper and other mineral resources in Poland and their key role in industry and the green energy transition emphasize the need for training highly qualified personnel in this area.

A positive review of the application will allow for the inclusion of the qualification in the IQS and, consequently, its entry into the Qualifications Register. This, in turn, will allow the Industry Skills Centre Mining Ore 4.0 to start conducting appropriate training and issuing certificates with the awarded level of the Polish Qualifications Framework (PRK), and the Chamber to apply for granting its institution the authority to certify sectoral qualifications and apply for entry on the list of entities performing the function of external quality assurance.

Task 2.16 Conference “Safe and innovative metal ore mining industry – Raw materials 4.0”

The conference took place on April 9, 2025, at the BCU headquarters in Lubin and attracted a wide audience of participants interested in the future of the mining industry. The conference was also broadcast online on social media, generating considerable interest. The event focused on modern technological solutions and innovations in occupational safety used in underground mining and processing of metal ores. Presentations were given by representatives of the District Mining Office, KGHM Polska Miedź, INOVA Technical Innovation Center, ITG KOMAG, Comex Group, and the Central Mining Institute. It was emphasized that the effective implementation of modern technologies not only increases employee productivity and safety but also positively impacts the natural environment.

The conference was digitally recorded and is available at the following link: https://youtube.com/live/W7Zhjvd3tb8?feature=share

Task 2.18 Promotion of professions – virtual job fairs

From October 7-10, 2024, the Chamber organized the “Virtual Job Fair – Ore Mining 4.0.” Twenty-six exhibitors (including employers, training, research, and labor institutions) presented their work during the event, and 3,899 people attended. The event was supported by a promotional campaign on social media and in the industry press.

Simultaneously, the Chamber implemented an advertising campaign focusing on in-demand professions in the industry, both short- and long-term, and the “Virtual Job Fair – Ore Mining 4.0.” The campaign included paid industry media, both electronic and print, as well as a social media campaign.

Task 2.21 Study trip for teachers and career counselors to a workplace related to the mining industry in Upper Silesia

The Chamber organized two such trips. The first took place on May 23, 2024, to FAMUR Gearo, a branch of the company that focuses on wind energy solutions and industrial gear production. Participants were presented with technological solutions offered by FAMUR S.A. This was followed by a tour of the 4.0 production hall and a presentation of training tools such as virtual reality, remote diagnostics, and service goggles technologies used to service equipment in various industrial sectors.

The second study trip took place on May 27, 2025, at the “Barbara” Experimental Mine in Mikołów (a branch of the Central Mining Institute – National Research Institute). The program included both a theoretical component, which addressed the threat of industrial dust explosions, and a practical component – ​​participants undertook an underground descent, observed a coal dust explosion in a 100-meter tunnel, and participated in a methane extinguishing demonstration. A total of 33 vocational teachers and vocational school students participated in both study trips.

Summary

The participation of the Mining Chamber of Industry and Commerce in this project not only confirms the Chamber’s role and recognition as a leading representative of the mining industry in the country, but also provides an opportunity to expand GIPH’s activities into new areas.

The completion of the project is an excellent opportunity to express our gratitude, particularly to the project leader – MCKK in Lubin, represented by President Monika Gazda and Vice President Lucyna Kubis, the management of BCU Górnictwo Ore 4.0, headed by Director Maria Paszkowska, and both partners – KGHM Polska Miedź S.A. and the Polish Copper Employers’ Association. On behalf of the Mining Chamber of Industry and Commerce, we thank them for their professionalism, commitment, and mutual support during the project’s implementation. We look forward to continued fruitful cooperation in the future.

Sławomir Obidziński
Vice President of the Management Board of GIPH