Zachary Laferriere

My name is Zachary Laferriere, and I am a Fleet Mechanic & Electrical Apprentice based out of the Haileybury, Ontario shop.

I joined Boart Longyear in 2019 as a young co-op student looking for an opportunity to learn. At the time, I had very little exposure to the mining industry and did not expect it to turn into a long-term career. I was curious and wanted to see where the opportunity might lead.

After finishing school, I was hired as a 421A Heavy Equipment Technician apprentice. I started out building components in the shop and eventually moved into commissioning underground coring drills.

About two years into my career, I began supporting field operations as well. Over the next few years, I split my time between the shop and the field, supporting underground coring, percussive drilling, surface coring and sonic drilling. I also spent a year and a half working full time at the Hemlo mine in Marathon, where I had the opportunity to support all four of those drilling areas at one site.

As my experience grew, I decided I wanted to expand my skills into the electrical side of the work. About two years ago, I began a 309A Electrical apprenticeship. Today, I work in both the shop and the field across both trades, and my work has taken me to projects and sites across Canada as well as Australia.

One of the things I have enjoyed most is that I have never stopped learning. Every new piece of equipment, site and challenge brings something different, and I have been fortunate to work alongside knowledgeable people who are willing to share their experience.

The opportunities I have been given are a big reason I have stayed with Boart Longyear. I started as a co-op student and have since been able to become certified in one trade, begin another, work across different drilling operations and travel both within Canada and internationally. There has always been another opportunity to learn something new or take on a different challenge.