Every spring in Kamloops, the roar of engines signals more than just excitement, it marks the return of Heavy Metal Rocks—a hands-on event where high school students get behind the controls of real heavy equipment, learn directly from industry professionals, and explore career paths they may never have considered.
“You see them on day one, quiet, unsure,” said Ron Hart, Batch Plant Supervisor at New Afton Mine. “Then by day three, they’re different people, they start believing in themselves.”
Ron and a dedicated group of New Afton employees volunteered as instructors and helped bring the event to life including Laura Connell, Randy Boelke, Jeff Banister, and Al Long, as well as Jesse Brauner, Carson Fraser, Dayne Higgins, Pete Pesonen and Austin Young—members of New Afton’s Fire and Mine Rescue team.
But beyond the machinery lies something even more powerful—mentorship, confidence-building, and a passing of the torch. Ron has been involved with Heavy Metal Rocks for nearly two decades, seeing firsthand how a few days of hands-on experience and encouragement can unlock confidence in students. For Laura Connell, Health & Safety Training Specialist at New Afton and new instructor with the event, Heavy Metal Rocks is deeply personal. She remembers being mentored by Ron in previous years as a participant, and applies her lived experience to her role as volunteer instructor.
“I know what it feels like not to belong, to be unsure of yourself, and I don’t want anyone to feel that way during this event,” she said. I want them to feel safe, accepted, and seen.”
Together, Ron and Laura embody the spirit of mentorship—Ron, approaching retirement with decades of knowledge to share, and Laura, eager to learn and carry that knowledge forward one generation at a time.
“That wealth of knowledge is leaving,” Laura said. “If I don’t get it now, I won’t be able to pass it on. That’s why this program matters so much.”
In addition to volunteer instructors, New Afton contributed $7,500 through its Community Investment Program and provided student swag bags, strengthening New Gold’s commitment to developing the next generation of tradespeople. As the program continues to evolve, now offering experiences in forestry, firefighting, and more, its mission remains unchanged: to inspire, empower, and equip young people with the confidence to build their future.
“Even if they don’t go into mining,” Ron said, “they walk away knowing they’re capable of more than they thought. That’s what sticks.”
