Working for a Chinese owned company for a number of years complimented Ramu NiCo Corporate Environment Manager Steve Opur when he was selected to participate in the 2024 China Copper Cup Competition in China in August this year.

Opur 37 was proud to represent his company Ramu NiCo in Papua New Guinea among other participates from Chinese owned mining industries around the world.

He was also excited to make a name for himself, his family and tribe in his humble village in Jiwaka.

Opur said it was the first time for Ramu NiCo to participate in the China Copper Cup  and he was alert and focused on the activities set during the challenge.

Teams from all the Chinese overseas companies went through certain training to prepare themselves for the competition during their first few days in China and being a manager of an important department at Ramu NiCo, Opur was wide awake in all senses to give himself and his team the best preparation to participate.

“Team Ramu NiCo may put Papua New Guinea on the map, if we win this competition,” Steve thought to himself.

But since it was the first time to participate in the China Copper Cup, Opur would learn the ropes at the same time.

According to Opur, preparation was not just logistics and material things or equipment one could imagine. That preparation was educational training sessions before the actual competition begin.

“This included basic level one Chinese Language, File Management, Waste Point Identification Management, Environment and Safety, Hazard Identification and Ratification Processes and others that each team need to know before the practical aspect of the Copper Cup Competition begins,” Mr. Opur said.

When time for the actual competition arrived, two teams from Ramu NiCo consisting of 5 members per team participate in a two week China Copper Cup Comprehensive Management Skills Competition in Chifeng, northwest China city.

It was not a bad try for team Ramu NiCo because they returned to their country (PNG) winning a bronze Medal (team Kurumbukari Mine) and a team Performance Trophy. Three employees from Ramu NiCo also won separate silver and bronze medals for Individual participation during the competition.

The China Copper Cup Competition is an annual program that comprises of all Chinese companies operating overseas to bring its local representatives from the country they operated from to participate in a Comprehensive Management Skills Competition as an exchange program for the employees to up-skill their knowledge and meet other employees from different countries and share knowledge and experiences.

During the 18 days stay in China, the Ramu NiCo team also visited one of the seven wanders of the world “the Great Wall of China” and other historical spots such as the Forbidden City, Temple of Heaven and the Beijing Olympic Park and Beijing Museum during their two weeks while attending the China Copper cup.

For each of the RNML team members, the wonderful trip to China and a work boosting challenge was a memorable experience for them.

Ramu NiCo Corporate Environment Manager Steve Opur posed for a picture in China.