NATIONAL NEWS
GRAND BASSA COUNTY – ArcelorMittal Liberia (AML) has completed another round of its Learning Ability Battery (LAB) assessments, with 218 residents from fence-line communities in Grand Bassa County participating in the exercise aimed at expanding access to employment and technical skills development.
By: Trokon S. Wrepue – trokon1992seokin@gmail.com
The assessments were conducted at three locations—Frank Diggs Town, Compound #3, and Buchanan City—where participants were tested in Mathematics, English and physical fitness. The exercise is part of the company’s efforts to identify and develop local talent for employment within its mining operations.
Introduced in 2024, the Learning Ability Battery program was designed to provide employment opportunities for community members who demonstrate the aptitude to succeed but may not possess the formal academic qualifications typically required for technical and operational positions.
Based on their performance, successful candidates are placed into three competency categories—P1, P2 and P3—which determine their eligibility for immediate employment opportunities, including positions such as Tally Clerks, Tarpaulin Attendants and Spotters.
Candidates who achieve outstanding scores also qualify for direct admission into ArcelorMittal Liberia’s Vocational Training Center (VTC), where they receive specialized training to become certified Process Operators, Articulated Dump Truck (ADT) Operators and Heavy Duty Equipment Operators.
According to the company, the initiative has already produced significant results, with more than 300 residents from host communities securing formal employment through the LAB framework over the past two years.
ArcelorMittal Liberia also disclosed that 26 candidates from host communities were recently admitted into its competitive Vocational Training Center apprenticeship program, further increasing local participation in skilled technical careers within the mining sector.
Speaking about the initiative, Community Relations Superintendent Wroquah Samuels-Kamara said the program is intended to create opportunities for residents of communities directly affected by the company’s operations.
“The LAB assessment is not about filtering people out; it is about discovering potential and creating paths where traditional barriers once stood,” Samuels-Kamara said. “By meeting our communities where they are, we are ensuring that the economic and developmental benefits of our operations are felt directly at the grassroots level.”
ArcelorMittal Liberia said it continues to prioritize the recruitment, training and professional development of Liberians as part of its long-term investment in the country’s mining industry.
The company noted that, in addition to the Learning Ability Battery, it is supporting workforce development through its Vocational Training Center, apprenticeship programs, scholarships and other technical skills initiatives designed to equip Liberians with practical experience and marketable skills.
According to AML, these programs are intended to ensure that residents of host communities benefit directly from mining activities while strengthening Liberia’s skilled workforce and contributing to the country’s economic development.
