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With trades listed in the top three jobs in demand in the latest Seek Employment Report, local students will be well positioned to take up these careers after attending ‘Tradies for a Day’ workshops this week.

Supported by Glencore MIM and South32, the Queensland Minerals and Energy Academy (QMEA) – the education arm of the Queensland Resources Council (QRC) – will run the workshops in two locations at Cloncurry State School P-12 and Mount Isa’s Spinifex State College.

Trades people from Glencore MIM and South32 will take the students through their paces in the specially designed workshops and explain to them what it takes to get into a trade.

“We hope that many of these students will be encouraged to consider trade careers as the result of the workshops including in-demand areas such as boilermakers, electricians, welders, fitters and turners and surveyors,” said Katrina-Lee Jones, Director Skills Education and Training with the QRC.

“There are many fantastic careers in trades and there’ll be plenty of opportunities for students once they complete their training.

“The Seek employment site reports that vacancies for boilermakers are up by 94 percent since the COVID-19 pandemic hit.

“Technician vacancies are up by 70 percent, surveyors by 50 percent, electricians by 47 percent, and fitters/turners/machinists by 30 percent.”

South32 Cannington Vice President Operations Joe Russell said South32 was passionate about education and helping young people to fulfil their potential.

“I’m proud that my colleagues at Cannington are passing on their knowledge and expertise to students who might be thinking of a career in the resources sector.”

Glencore Queensland Metals Human Resources Group Manager Clint Milner said trade careers provided great salaries and prospects and enabled young people to continue to work and live in their local communities.

“We really value the QMEA’s workshops in helping to highlight these careers and helping to build our community by retaining them in Mount Isa,” he said.

Cloncurry State High School Principal Christine Norton said the workshops also helped students relate their classroom theory to the real world.

“This can be a very powerful learning aid, especially for students who are more practically minded,” she said.

“The chance for students to network with industry representatives also helps build students’ interpersonal and communications skills,” said Chris Pocock, Head of Senior Campus at Spinifex State College.

“Spinifex has been the starting place for many great trade careers and these workshops help us to continue that tradition.”

The students will experience a variety of trade activities involved in the resources sector during the workshops including electrical, pnuematics, and mechanical, and will also take part in an aptitude test.

As Australia’s largest and most successful industry-led education and skills training initiative, the QMEA seeks to broaden student and teacher knowledge of career opportunities in resources.

The academy encourages a talent pipeline of employees into VET and STEM-related careers, with a focus on female and Indigenous participation. The QMEA currently engages with 80 schools and is a partnership between the QRC and the Queensland Government under its Gateway to Industry Schools program.

Itinerary

Cloncurry State High School: 26 August

Spinifex State College: 27 August