The sky’s the limit for Dalby students who will enter a whole new world of augmented and virtual reality today when they take part in the My Digital World workshop run by the Queensland Minerals and Energy Academy (QMEA).

Now it its fourth year, the Arrow Energy-supported event is such a ‘must do’ on the Dalby and Chinchilla state high schools’ calendar that even COVID-19 couldn’t stop it.

Dalby State High School Principal Dr Dean Russell said he was delighted to host Chinchilla State High School students for the event.

“This is a highly valued STEM activity for year 8 students,” he said.

“We didn’t want the students to miss out on this event which showcases drone technology and the link between agriculture and the resources sector, so we worked hard to ensure My Digital World still went ahead with COVID-19 safe practices in place.”

“Students will have a range of experiences that provide a real insight into the ways of working within Queensland’s CSG industry,” said Katrina Lee Jones, QRC Director Skills, Education and Diversity.

“As well as the drone activity run by the University of Southern Queensland, students will explore virtual and augmented reality to design a coal-seam gas (CSG) fired power plant,” she said.

“They will also program and code a ‘mine vehicle’ to navigate a course safely and undertake a water testing activity similar to that used in a real life CSG field.

“Arrow Energy’s support means a lasting legacy will be left for the community through the delivery of professional development to their teachers.

“It also helps teachers put the technology of drones, coding and augmented and virtual reality used by companies such as Arrow into the context of both the school curriculum and the resources sector.”

The QMEA engages with 80 schools throughout Queensland and is a partnership between the Queensland Resources Council (QRC) and the State Government under its Gateway to Industry Schools program.

The QRC is Queensland’s peak representative body for coal, metal and gas explorers, producers and suppliers across the resources sector. It contributes one in every five dollars to the Queensland economy, sustains one in six Queensland jobs and supports more than 15,000 businesses and more than 1200 community organisations across the state – all from 0.1 percent of Queensland’s land mass.