HOW GEOLOGY IS REVIVING IN ARMENIA
Mediamax News Agency
Dec 11 2012
Armenia
Geoteam CSJC which holds the licenses for the the Amulsar gold project
covered the tuition fees of 12 students from the adjacent communities
as part of its social programs.
Students from Gorayk, Saravan and Gndevaz communities study in
the Geological Department of the YSU and Department of Mining and
Metallurgy of Yerevan State Engineering University. The leadership
of the company says that the program aims not only to help the youth
of the communities to become specialists but also try to “revive”
the development of geology in Armenia.
Over decades, geology has been considered one of the most prestigious
professions in Armenia. Armenian geologists worked not only in Armenia
and USSR but also in far Cuba, for instance. As geologists often
went on trips, the profession was accompanied with numerous real and
incredible stories which made the profession extremely attractive
for youth. Geology as many other spheres recessed in Armenia after
the collapse of the USSR and the profession of a geologist lost the
attractiveness it once had. But as Geoteam Managing Director and
lecturers of the YSU and YSEU say, now young people start showing
interest to geology again.
“We already have high-skilled specialists as a result of this program”,
Director of Geoteam CJSC, geologist Hayk Aloyan told Mediamax.
“The students start working in Amulsar program as beginners. Workers
are paid minimum AMD 130000 in our company and skillful specialists
naturally get much higher salary”, he noted.
Davit Davtyan is from the village of Saravan. He studies in the
Geology Department of YSU and has been working in “Geoteam” for 2
years. He was informed about the opportunity to study for free while
working in the company. “I had 2-year experience and I decided to get
higher education as well.” Davit thinks that studying is not enough
for becoming a specialist – one also should be given the opportunity
to utilize the skills in practice and Geoteam’s Amulsar project gives
that opportunity. As a beginner Davit was doing a job of a worker
while now he’s responsible for shifts.
Taron Ghazaryan who studies in the YSEU Department of Mining and
Metallurgy is also from the village of Saravan. He is getting a
specialization in metallurgy and study of materials. He says that
Geoteam somehow helped him to make this choice and he was relieved
of the burden of paying tuition fee as well.
Gagik Markosyan, Associate Professor at the Geophysics Chair of YSU
Geography and Geology Department, welcomes the support to the students
and thinks that it should be an example for other mining companies
as well.