• Click here for photos and video of the Pioneer SHS workshop.
• Click here for photos and video of the Moranbah SHS workshop.

While the world celebrates International Women’s Day some female secondary students in the Mackay region have been breaking down gender barriers this week attending an all-female Tradies for a Day program.

The full-day program involved students completing a series of trade activities delivered by the Queensland Minerals and Energy Academy (QMEA) in partnership with BHP Mitsubishi Alliance (BMA).

The first workshop at Pioneer State High School on Tuesday had 25 students attending from Pioneer SHS, Mackay Northern Beaches SHS, Mackay North SHS, Mackay SHS and Sarina SHS.

The second workshop held yesterday at Moranbah State High School had eighteen Year 10 students rotating through seven trade stations including a new virtual reality (VR) truck driving and maintenance activity developed by Mining Skills Australia.

Lisa Veney, Pioneer State High School principal, said the integration of new technologies into the trade workshops was a real bonus for the students.

“Being able to virtually drive a haul truck and use interactive technology to do a maintenance check of a mining vehicle is a great experience for the students,” said Ms Veney.

“It brings another perspective to their trades studies and a deeper understanding of the types of roles they could have in the resources industry,” she said.

The students also completed hands-on activities involving electrical circuits, mechanical skills, virtual welding and a pneumatic challenge.

Katrina-Lee Jones, Policy Director – Skills, Education and Diversity at the Queensland Resources Council said the popularity of the all-girls workshop signified a growing interest in trade careers.

“Mackay and Moranbah students are fortunate to live in a region rich with resources which can offer plenty of job opportunities,” said Ms Jones.

“Gone are the days when women were mainly in support roles on a site – they are now also in operational, trade and professional roles,” she said.

“I am sure many of the young women in these workshops will go onto create successful careers as tradespeople in the resources industry and broader community.”