Click here for Miles State High School workshop photos.

Students at Miles State High School have been getting hands-on with real world problem solving, teaming up with local energy professionals to explore future career pathways.

An interactive workshop was recently delivered by the Queensland Minerals and Energy Academy (QMEA), the education arm of the Queensland Resources Council (QRC), in partnership with Origin Energy giving students the chance to discover where subjects like science and engineering can take them after school.

Origin employees from the upstream operations of the Australia Pacific LNG project joined students in the classroom to lead hands-on activities and share real-world insights from the energy industry.

Origin Pipeline Instrumentation and Electrical Supervisor Grant Watterson said the students were switched on and eager to learn.

“They were asking great questions and really thinking about how the concepts we were exploring apply in the real world, whether it’s in technology, engineering or problem-solving on site.

“One activity looked at how gas is safely extracted from underground wells, and they were keen to understand how those same principles are put into practice in the field.

“The Origin team is always proud to support education programs like this. It’s a chance for us to give back and maybe inspire young people to look at a career they might not have thought about before.

“I still remember how much it meant when people came to my school to share their experiences – it helped shape the path I’m on today.”

Katrina-Lee Jones, QRC Policy Director – Education, Skills and Diversity, said the Careers and Problem-solving workshop had been specifically designed for Year 10 students as they consider their senior subjects.

“Year 10 is the point where students are seriously considering their future and the study pathway they need to take to achieve their goals,” Ms Jones said.

“During the day students completed a career survey with their answers producing a personalised career profile which highlighted the types of roles which best matched their individual skills and interests,” she said.

“This information, along with the career stories from the Origin team, will help to guide them as they make subject choices for next year.”