Students and teachers at Middlemount Community School are now tech-savvy following three intensive days exploring innovation and digital technologies with one of Australia’s leading Science Technology Engineering and Maths (STEM) educators STEM Punks.

More than 100 students in years seven to 12 and their teachers experienced hands-on workshops in 3D printing and design, drone programming and virtual and augmented reality.

The event, run by the Queensland Minerals and Energy Academy (QMEA), encourages students to consider STEM-related careers after demonstrating how their classroom relates to the real world of work.

“Middlemount South is proud to support this program, which opens students’ eyes up to the possibilities for their futures by joining the dots between their classroom and how technology is used every day in the workforce,” said Middlemount South General Manager Tod Matthews.

“We hope to see these students consider the range of high-tech careers available in our sector,” he said.

“The sessions were good, and we saw that teachers and students managed to have some fun and gain a better understanding of what is happening with the digital tech space,” said Lisa Small, Deputy Principal.

“The drone coding was super fun and easy. I was amazed by the potential application of the micro bit as the possibilities are endless,” said teacher Ryan van Vuuren.

“These sessions are helping our teachers become more confident to teach the new Digital Technologies curriculum, which will become compulsory in our schools next year,” said Katrina-Lee Jones, Director Skills Education and Diversity at the Queensland Resources Council (QRC).

“It’s also important for students to understand the skills needed in the future and how they will apply in our sector,” she said.