New Internship Places Select NTU Students at the Navajo Mine to Gain Real-World Experience
Farmington, NM – September 26, 2023 – Navajo Transitional Energy Company (NTEC) signed an agreement yesterday with Navajo Technical University (NTU) to start a new welding internship for NTU students. Dr. Elmer Guy, President of NTU, and Dr. Dragan Bogunovic, General Manager of NTEC’s Navajo Mine, were at the University to finalize the new partnership. As part of the arrangement, selected NTU students will spend six weeks working at Navajo Mine on the Navajo Nation alongside seasoned welders and get a first-hand look into mine operations. In addition to real-world experience, the students will have a potential career path after graduation.
The new internship was a collaborative effort between the two organizations to provide Navajo students with valuable experience, while developing a pipeline for future mine employment. Jobs at Navajo Mine are some of the most lucrative on the Nation, with many workers staying more than 20 years. “This internship represents NTEC’s investment in the future of the Navajo Nation, while training the next generation of workers,” said Dr. Bogunovic, General Manager of the Navajo Mine. “We are excited about this new partnership with Navajo Technical University. It enables them to provide new opportunities for their students, while training future energy professionals on the Nation.”
Dr. Guy, President of NTU added, “The most important thing for us is to train Navajo students in careers that allow them to stay on the Nation and provide for a prosperous future. We are thrilled to partner with Navajo Transitional Energy Company to make this goal a reality.” NTU also announced the first student to be placed in the internship, Sarah Dennison, who will work on-site at the Navajo Mine from September 11, 2023 through the end of October 2023. “We are really excited to announce our inaugural class to the internship. Congratulations Sarah, we are so proud of you!” added Dr. Guy.
The new welding internship with NTU is one of many opportunities that Navajo Transitional Energy Company provides to students on and off the Nation. NTEC works with universities on the Navajo Nation and throughout the Powder River Basin to identify, train, and place students in internships at NTEC mines. These students learn their chosen trade in a fun, safe, and rewarding environment. Internships available include many disciplines such as welding, electrical, engineering, reclamation, management, and more.
About NTEC
NTEC is an autonomous single-member limited liability company, organized under the laws of the Navajo Nation, which owns mines in Montana, New Mexico, and Wyoming. The mission of NTEC is to be a reliable, safe producer of coal, while diversifying the Navajo Nation’s energy resources to create economic sustainability for the Nation and the Navajo people. NTEC’s sole shareholder is the Navajo Nation.
NTEC is a leader in safety and reclamation and was recognized with the Sentinels of Safety award from the National Mining Association, the Safety Award for Large Surface Mine from the Rocky Mountain Coal Institute, and the National Award for Excellence in Surface Mining Reclamation from the Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement in 2022. For more information about NTEC, visit www.navenergy.com.
Contact: Lauren Burgess
Phone: 720-566-2925
Email: Lauren.burgess@navenergy.com
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