VOL. 07 | ISSUE 3 | September 2024
‘The Sky is the Limit’ for Freeport Employees Planning Long-term Careers
Toby Dunn says there are near limitless opportunities to build a successful career at Freeport for any employee willing to work hard and learn new things.
Believe him. He’s done it himself.
Dunn started as a frontline laborer in the Morenci hydromet tankhouse in 1991. He worked hard and took what training was available. He sought guidance from more experienced hands and filled in as a temporary supervisor when offered the opportunity.
Dunn eventually moved into management, rising through the ranks at Morenci operations and eventually into corporate leadership as General Manager Maintenance-FM Americas. In July, he was promoted to Vice President-Morenci Operations.
“You can do anything you want in this company,” Dunn said. “The sky is the limit. You don’t need to show up with a degree. You don’t need to be anything. You just need to be somebody who has drive, a work ethic and the willingness to put in the time needed, and you can do anything. You can start out as a laborer and become a general manager.”
Planning for success
Investing in employees’ growth so they can succeed in whatever career path they choose is a pillar of Freeport’s Proudly Creating Better Futures, which highlights the value the company brings to employees, communities and the world. Providing employees with the support they need to help the company achieve its safety and production targets also is laid out in the Employee Experience pillar of the Americas’ overarching goal of “Safely achieve our 2024 targets by being the best at the basics.”
For the employee, that means good pay and benefits today and options to build a long-term career here, said Jim Merwin, Director-Talent Management. It also means the company will support them with things like training and educational assistance, mentorship, and opportunities to advance.
An employee can advance within a trade, for instance a Mechanic I, getting additional training for a promotion to a Mechanic II and so on. That same mechanic might decide to switch trades and become an electrician. Or, like Dunn, the frontline laborer can get leadership training and go into supervisory and management positions.
Whatever the choice, Freeport has support programs to help, Merwin said. That’s good for the worker and the company.
“It’s a hunt for talent and the attempt to retain talent,” Merwin said. “We want people to spend their careers at Freeport. It’s about making sure that we’re providing the resources to help every individual learn what they need to make the next step in their career and be more effective where they are.”
There are multiple career paths at Freeport for employees who are willing to take the initiative, work hard, learn new skills and take ownership of their own careers, Merwin said.
Planning career paths
The first step for many workers is Freeport’s Learning Management System, which tells them what training and experience they will need to advance to the next level. Lines of progression also are discussed with new hires, and supervisors are encouraged to have career planning conversations with their crews during employee evaluation periods, said Mike Brewer, Manager-Career Development Programs.
Job openings are posted so people can apply for opportunities at different sites. Also, a couple of years ago, college degree requirements were eliminated for many jobs, allowing work experience to substitute for formal education.
Jonathan Barragan, Diesel Diagnostic Mechanic-Safford, works on a haul truck. The company has a variety of training programs to help skilled tradesmen like mechanics advance their skills and careers.
Standard benefits such as college tuition assistance and company-paid access to online training programs are available to anyone who qualifies, regardless of whether they want to go into management or progress within their trade.
For those pursuing a management track, the company has several in-house training programs ranging from “Welcome to Supervision” to more advanced sessions on managing people and projects. Sites also have fill-in
opportunities, where frontline workers can be a supervisor for a day or two to get experience leading a crew.
It’s a hunt for talent and the attempt to retain talent,” Merwin said. “We want people to spend their careers at Freeport. It’s about making sure that we’re providing the resources to help every individual learn what they need to make the next step in their career and be more effective where they are.
Gaining skilled trade expertise
Training programs also are available to those who prefer to gain more expertise or certifications within their trade. For instance, in addition to in-house and online education training, Freeport will pay for eligible, qualified employees to attend CAT University, an online school for heavy-equipment mechanics created by Caterpillar.
There also are a variety of apprenticeships and mentoring programs at various sites, where employees in skilled trades are paired with more experienced co-workers. The company will reimburse the employee for professional certifications and might even help them buy tools, depending on the trade.
There is no one way to succeed at Freeport, Merwin said. And skilled workers on the front lines are valued as much as skilled managers and site leaders.
“We need people to produce copper,” Merwin added. “There are some people who want to be leaders and want to be in management and have the skills to do that. And we work to prepare them to be the best leaders that we can. At the same time, we want to prepare our skilled workforce, our operations and maintenance workforce, to be the best at what they do, because we can’t produce copper unless we’ve got highly skilled people at all levels of the organization and in all roles at the organization.”
To learn more about career opportunities at Freeport, talk with your supervisor or contact your local Human Resources department.
Skilled trades like welders and heavy equipment mechanics are in high demand. Freeport will invest in the long-term career growth of those who wish to remain in those professions.