Top women from Queensland’s resources sector will mentor year-12 girls from all over Queensland to help them achieve their desired career pathways with the launch of the the QRC/WIMARQ* Girls in Resources Mentoring Program.

Kicking off tonight (5pm) at The Cube in QUT’s STEM precinct the program will see 24 students from Queensland Minerals and Energy Academy (QMEA) schools meet their mentors and undergo training to get the most out of the program, which runs for six months.

Platinum sponsor of the program, Glencore, says the program is vital to maintaining a pipeline of talented females entering the resources sector.

“Programs such as this one provide girls with the support they require at a crucial time in their lives as well as giving them an insight into the opportunities that the resources sector can offer,” said Glencore’s Director of Underground Operations, Darren Nicholls.

The mentors will provide the girls with guidance around topics such as time management, goal setting, effective communication and resilience.

The launch will also see the announcement of an exciting initiative by the program’s gold sponsor, BHP and BHP Mitsubishi Alliance, of two sponsorships that will be awarded to two of the girls at the conclusion of the program in August and will assist them on their pathway of further education or training.

The  girls will also attend the QRC/WIMARQ* International Women’s Day breakfast with about 900 people attending and 1400 people watching remotely through a webcast.

They will hear from Queensland’s first female police commissioner Katarina Carroll.

They’ll also witness the presentation of the QRC/WIMARQ* annual Resources Awards for Women, the winners of which go on to national awards in Canberra.

“The breakfast will provide the young women with the opportunity to hear from two highly inspirational women while networking with women working in careers in which they have an interest said Katrina-Lee Jones Policy Director Skills, Education and Training with the Queensland Resources Council (QRC).

 

“The program has grown to 24 students following the successful inaugural program last year, which assisted 20 students in their final year of high school,” she said.

 

“We were very pleased to see that 80 percent of the girls who took part in last year’s program have gone on to study science, technology engineering and maths related studies or have taken up associated apprenticeships.

 

“We’d again like to thank thank QRC members’ whose commitment to the program has made it possible: Glencore Coal, BHP, Idemitsu, Hastings Deering and MPC Kinetic.

 

“We also thank the Queensland Government who made possible the inaugural program.”

This year, students are represented from 17 schools:

• Alexandra Hills SHS
• Wavell SHS
• Clayfield College
• Rockhampton Girls Grammar
• Pittsworth SHS
• Gladstone SHS
• Everton Park SHS
• Moura SHS
• Pimlico SHS
• Spinifex State College
• Kirwan SHS
• Bundaberg SHS
• Good Shepherd Catholic College
• Pioneer SHS
• Toolooa SHS
• Dysart SHS
• The Cathedral College, Rockhampton

QRC is the peak representative body for Queensland ‘s resource sector. The Queensland resources sector provides one in every five dollars in the Queensland economy, sustains one in seven Queensland jobs, supports more than 14,400 businesses and almost 1400 community organisations across the state, all from 0.1 percent of Queensland’s land mass.

The QMEA is a partnership between the QRC and the Queensland Government under its Gateway to Industry Schools program. It has 75 schools throughout Queensland.

*QRC/WIMARQ Queensland Resources Council/Women in Mining & Resources Queensland https://womeninminingqueensland.com/