15 September 2020

At a time when Queensland’s resources sector is powering through the COVID-19 pandemic to keep the state economy afloat, Central Queensland students are this week getting a taste of the many trade careers offered by the industry.

Students from Moura and Biloela are taking part in a three-day Queensland Minerals and Energy Academy’s (QMEA) Oresome Trades Camp in Moura, supported by Anglo American.

“We’re really pleased to see a strong, diverse mix of students attending this year’s camp,” said General Manager of Anglo American’s Dawson Mine, Clarence Robertson.

“Having a diverse workforce adds so much to innovation, safety and productivity to our business, and we hope to see a great mix of young women and men taking up these sorts of trades,” he said.

“Our staff always look forward to attending QMEA events to mentor students and pass on their knowledge of their careers and encourage young people to follow in their footsteps.”

Moura State High School Principal James Lye said the camp also helped the students put their classroom learning into the context of the real world of work.

“Hearing about careers from the horses’ mouth can also help our students with goal setting and selecting subjects for senior school,” he said.

Students from Biloela’s Redeemer Lutheran College will also travel to Moura for the event.

The QMEA is a partnership between the Queensland Resources Council (QRC) and the Queensland Government under its Gateway to Industry Schools program to encourage students to consider a career in the resources sector. The initiative now has 75 schools participating throughout Queensland.

QRC is the peak representative body for Queensland‘s resource sector. The sector contributes one in every five dollars to the Queensland economy, sustains one in seven jobs, supports more than 14,400 businesses and almost 1400 community organisations, all from 0.1 percent of Queensland’s land mass.