Click here for photos of the launch of the QMEA’s Rockhampton Regional Hub

A new Queensland Minerals and Energy Academy hub has been opened in Rockhampton this week as part of a $2million investment from the Queensland Government to support the implementation of three regional hubs.  

The new hub will connect Central Queensland students with careers in resources, energy, engineering and STEM, helping young people transform what they learn in school into a job close to home. 

From mining to engineering and technology jobs across Central Queensland, the new QMEA hub will bring local career opportunities directly into schools and give students a better understanding of the skills they need to get there. 

The Rockhampton hub is part of a major QMEA expansion that will reach 10,000 more students across 50 additional schools, including primary schools for the first time. 

The first regional hub was opened in Mackay in 2025 and a further hub to be established in Townsville next year. 

Minister for Finance, Trade, Employment and Training Ros Bates said the expansion was about making sure young Queenslanders could see the opportunities available to them in their own communities. 

“Some of the best career opportunities in Queensland are right here in our regions, and we want young people seeing those possibilities before they leave school,” Minister Bates said. 

“This means 10,000 more students getting a look inside real industries, meeting employers and understanding how what they learn at school can lead to a good job. 

“We are building stronger pathways from the classroom into a career and making sure regional employers have the skilled workers they need to grow.” 

Minister for Natural Resources and Mines Dale Last said a strong local skills pipeline was critical to the future of Queensland’s resources sector. 

“More than 81,000 Queenslanders work directly in mining and resources. These jobs underpin regional communities right across our state,” Minister Last said. 

“Nowhere is this more evident than in Central Queensland where the industry supports thousands of local families and businesses. 

“Allowing Queensland’s resources sector to grow means creating pathways into rewarding careers and helping shape the next generation of resource workers from communities like Rockhampton. 

“The Queensland Government is making sure young Queenslanders can see the opportunities on offer and have the skills to seize them.” 

Queensland Resources Council Chief Executive Officer Janette Hewson said the momentum from Mackay showed the real impact of the hub model. 

“Since the Mackay hub launched last year, ten new schools have joined the QMEA network, giving many more primary and secondary students access to workshops, camps and leadership programs linking their classroom studies directly to careers in the resources industry,” Ms Hewson said. 

“The resources sector is critically important to the Queensland economy, and it needs the next generation of STEM professionals to keep it thriving. 

“We know that students who engage with QMEA programs are more likely to pursue science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) studies after school.” 

QMEA Student Ambassador Jake Lucas, a Year 12 student at The Cathedral College, said regional students got lots of benefits from being involved in the QMEA.  

“I’ve gained a deeper understanding of the industry through QMEA school workshops and leadership programs,” Jake said.  

“It is a real bonus for students like me, in the Rockhampton region who are keen on having a career in the resources industry as the QMEA gives us the confidence and local connections to follow our career aspirations after school.”  

The expansion is supported by the Queensland Government’s $2 million election commitment to grow QMEA across regional Queensland.  It forms part of Improved Completions, a joint initiative between the Federal Government and Queensland Government. 

Click here for a link to the Queensland Government’s full media release.