It’s been advanced to make our jobs wildly safer while rocketing productivity and slashing costs. Over the last five years, SMS Equipment has integrated AHS to introduce discoverable pathways for skilled tradespeople and industry experts, while pushing existing roles to branch out into new responsibilities. All of it is critically important. And while jobs are here to stay—they will change. Many are an organic progression from traditional trades; others are further stepping stones away but can readily adapt using similar transferable skills and experience.

For instance, the longstanding role of Heavy Equipment Technician (HET) who maintains, repairs, and rebuilds heavy equipment. Developing an “AHS version” requires familiarization with the autonomous interface and how to work around this equipment—a matter of supplemental education.

With AHS technology, miners need to lean into human relationships more than ever before. Most of all, getting the work culture right is major—building more constructive, precise and effective systems that encourage collaboration. It’s also essential to ensure the next generation of workers is educated on what skills will be in high demand and continue to develop programs that allow those working in mining to refocus or refine talents.

Technology is boosting the mining sector in a much-needed way, but it isn’t without defined effort. There’s no place for complacency if we want to see the industry and its workers prosper. What man and machine can do together is much bigger and more impactful than anything we could each do alone.