Upskilling: Key for Efficient and Empowered PASAR Workforce

The main driver of the Philippine Associated Smelting and Refining (PASAR) Corporation’s success is our people… PASAR’s main asset. 

We have been operating for almost 40 years with the help of our 1, 300 growing workforce whose works have named as one of the leaders in processing and exporting in the country.

With the help of our people, we are exporting over 200, 000 metric tons of copper cathode whose purity is 99.99+% and other high-quality precious metal by-products every year to 19 countries all over the globe including the Philippines.

PASAR recognizes that the main driver of our success are our people. They are the reason why we are still the only smelting and refining firm in the Philippines and the first and the biggest asset of Glencore International in Southeast Asia. Thus, they are the pride of the company. 

For this reason, we strongly invest in developing their capabilities through different trainings on leadership and culture, safety, operations and maintenance.

We are training them on the skills needed in their line of work. Through this, we ensure that our people are capable and are competent in accomplishing their jobs.

All of these trainings are hands-on and applicable to their field. Simulation on operating machineries are also given and if needed, we proceed to actual application using the machineries in the plant. 

In January this year, the Trade Training Upskilling Course for Our Asset Management team just commenced. With the objective of upgrading the skills and knowledge of our tradesmen, our employees were able to have an upskilling which consists of practical training, assessment, peer-to-peer mentoring and work floor assessment. 

We also have the  Precision Shaft Alignment Training held at the LIDE Training Center which started last January 24 and ended on February 15. With this training, PASAR aim to develop the maintenance capability of our Millwrights in order to improve our rotating plant performance through a more efficient procedure. 

Moreover, as safety is PASAR’s top priority, trainings and orientations for this matter are also provided. 

Just last April 28, our teams from Occupational Health, Safety, and Communications encouraged our employees to observe occupational health and safety practices through awareness orientations and activities. 

Our Emergency Response Team employees also participated in the Canadian Emergency & Risk Management’s 3-day training on hazardous materials control and containment.

PASAR continues to aim to address all safety measures for the company and the community.

Besides, these upskillings are not just to maintain and improve the competency of our people; we are also preparing them on the new business challenges and realities. 

By applying all of the information from the training, our people are able to improve their competency and use it on different issues within their scope of work. 

After the training on Precision Shaft Alignment, our millwrights were able to apply their learnings. During one of our monthly asset management meetings, Wennie Guevarra of the secondary smelting maintenance represented the millwrights who joined the training. He discussed the needed improvements for the PU-W12A converter furnace (CF) uptake cooling water pump. With the group’s suggestion, Joven Chiong, the acting officer-in-charge for asset management, affirmed that the team are already applying the correct and efficient method for their operation. 

With this effect on our employee’s line of work, they are not only increasing their competency, they are also using PASAR’s values on passion, integrity and collaboration. 

Just recently, our team from Mobile Equipment Maintenance Services collaborated with Primary Smelting Maintenance team on repairing and replacing the gear motor assembly of the Cooling Tower. With this, the efforts of both team leads to several improvements for our Tapping area. 

Thus, we are not just giving our people the necessary skills, we are also changing the culture and mindset to align with our core values.

With all of these upskilling activities for our people, PASAR’s main asset, we will achieve to be the benchmark in smelting and refining.

So, if you want to be with us in this journey, just visit our job vacancies page and together we will achieve our goals!