The Queensland Government’s $2million investment in the Queensland Minerals and Energy Academy (QMEA) has launched with a series of STEM workshops at three secondary schools in the Mackay, Isaac and Whitsunday region.  

Mackay Christian College, Holy Spirit College and Proserpine State High School are the first local schools to join the QMEA’s network under the Mackay regional hub expansion, funded by the Queensland Government to help more young people carve out pathways into the resources sector.  

Minister for Finance, Trade, Employment and Training Ros Bates said the Queensland Minerals and Energy Academy was the strongest it has ever been, and was engaging more young Queenslanders, helping secure a pipeline of skilled workers for the State’s resources future.  

“Following the Crisafulli Government’s $2 million expansion of QMEA in July, I’m excited to see the first workshops delivered as part of the Mackay regional hub expansion,” Minister Bates said.  

“These workshops demonstrate how the Academy is adapting and evolving with industry needs, ensuring the future resources workforce has the right skills to embrace opportunity. 

Minister for Natural Resources and Mines Dale Last said the Crisafulli Government was backing the next generation of workers to lead the mining sector of tomorrow. 

 “The Crisafulli Government is growing Queensland’s mining sector by giving industry the confidence it needs to invest and building skilled regional workforces that will drive the sector forward,” Minister Last said. 

 “The QMEA expansion program is about building a strong pipeline of skilled workers so kids in places like Mackay can step into high-skill, high-wage jobs right near home.

“Queensland’s coal industry has a long future, with strong global demand forecast to continue well into the future. 

 “But to seize that opportunity and build a strong mining industry for tomorrow, you need to invest in young people today, and that’s exactly what the Crisafulli Government is doing.” 

Member for Mackay Nigel Dalton said the region was at the heart of Queensland’s mining industry, and locals would be a key part of delivering the state’s resources future.  

“Programs like the one QMEA is running in Mackay are essential to showing local students the careers available to them in the resources sector, and helping to deliver the next generation of skilled workers,” Mr Dalton said. 

The first workshops delivered under the expansion were a digital technologies workshop, ‘Mining for Code’ with Year 7 students at Mackay Christian College and a physics workshop, ‘Pulleys for Productivity’ with Year 8 students at Holy Spirit College this week.  STEM workshops will be delivered at Proserpine State High School next week. 

The workshops explore how STEM concepts are applied into the working environment in the resources sector – such as operating autonomous vehicles (digital technologies) and using pulley systems to move heavy loads (physics).  

The workshops were delivered by Alexander van Nunen, an experienced STEM educator and coordinator for the QMEA’s new Mackay regional hub.  

QRC Chief Executive Officer, Janette Hewson, said with mining being the biggest employer in the region it was logical to encourage students to join the resources workforce.  

“Over 75,000 people in the region have employment related to the resources sector,” Ms Hewson said.  

“I want the students in Mackay Christian College, Holy Spirit College and across the region to know they are fortunate to have a dynamic resources sector at their doorstep,” said Ms Hewson.  

“If they have a desire to become an engineer, environmental scientist, a metal machinist and fitter or play any role in an industry at the forefront of creating new technologies, than we are keen to support them achieve their goal,” she said.  

“The QRC and its members appreciates the Queensland Government’s investment in the QMEA – it is great for local schools, good for business and a win for the resources industry.”  

The QMEA’s Minerals and Energy Gateway to Industry Schools project and Regional Hubs program are proudly supported and funded by the Queensland Government.