In just four years, the program has undergone a remarkable evolution, growing from humble beginnings into a cutting-edge, immersive training hub – known as Sim City – through which MinRes employees have access to interactive training for every piece of heavy equipment used across its operations.
From on-site training to simulators
Traditionally, all MinRes machinery training was facilitated on site by compliance trainers, supporting entry-level operators (ELOs) to learn the ropes using real mining equipment in remote mining conditions.
In 2021, Supervisor Training Tabatha Latt was part of the team that introduced simulated training to MinRes having recognised the existing training approach could be more effective.
“Our previous training process was constrained by instructor availability, production pressures, weather variables and the inability to safely recreate emergency scenarios,” Tabatha said.
“This approach shifted dramatically with the introduction of our first training simulator, allowing trainees to grasp machinery fundamentals virtually from our Perth training centre before progressing to learn directly on site.”
Expanding beyond basic training: pathways and proficiency
With the benefits of simulated training quickly becoming clenar, MinRes expanded the technology from onboarding ELOs to supporting career progression for experienced operators through its targeted Pathways program.
First introduced for dozer operators, the program soon expanded to include grader and drill operator roles with training tailored to the requirements of specific sites and commodities.
Tabatha said simulator technology supported safe and efficient operator training operators to nationally-recognised standards.
“Unlike many companies that only use on-site simulators, Sim City is a large, centralised rehearsal space in Osborne Park.
"Our facility supports trainees to experiment, repeat scenarios and receive immediate feedback on safety and technique without pressure from production targets or adverse weather,” she said.
“The scenarios we use contribute to the development of safe, competent and confident operators who, over time and with additional site training, improve their proficiency in a wide range of machine specific tasks.”
Rise of Sim City
Today, Sim City is home to a comprehensive lineup which includes every mining machine found on MinRes sites – including graders, tracked dozers, excavators, drills, electric and mechanical haul trucks and loaders.
It’s the largest and most diverse simulator fleet in the region and has been used as an example of best practice by global sims supplier, Immersive Technologies.
And with one hour of simulator training equivalent to four hours on an actual machine – in terms of skill acquisition, accelerating operator readiness and confidence – MinRes continues to acquire new conversion kits continue to meet business needs.
MinRes Director People Andrea Chapman said Sim City had revolutionised the company’s approach to operator development.
“This leading-edge facility supports our ongoing commitment to innovation and delivering the highest standard of safety and competency across our cohort of operators,” Andrea said.
“Sim City is also opening doors to a diverse range of new talent while supporting the growth and career development of existing team members.”
An award-winning approach
In June 2025, the achievements of the MinRes Sims team were recognised by Immersive Technologies as part of its Global Business Improvement Awards.
The team won the Community Development category for training almost 900 operators since Sim City’s inception, edging out a talented field spanning 54 countries.
And with Sim City continuing to enhance MinRes’ approach to immersive training, Tabatha and the team remain passionate about equipping participants with the tools and skills to become safe and productive operators.
“Every day the team is influencing people’s lives by supporting their career journey, which is so rewarding,” Tabatha said.
Learn more about MinRes’ approach to training and development.
