About 100 Townsville students tried on resources sector careers for size at workshops at Kirwan State High School today.

Run by the Queensland Minerals and Energy Academy (QMEA), the students were mentored by staff from Glencore and Hastings Deering and given a taste of careers as professionals or trades people.

They took part in practical exercises and were guided by industry professionals and tradies.

“It’s an important part of the students’ school experience to see the practical application of the things they learn in the classroom,” Kirwan State High School’s Science Head of Department Paddy McLeod said.

“The magic of the QMEA activities is that they are so closely aligned to the curriculum and it really brings to life the students’ learning experience.”

Leanne Ryder, Human Resources Manager for Glencore’s NQ’s Copper Assets said the workshops were valuable in demonstrating the wide range of careers available in the sector, and what students must do to get there.

“It’s also great to see that at least half the students taking part are female, as this helps us to ultimately recruit a greater gender balanced workforce,” Mrs Ryder said.

“Glencore is committed to building employment pathways into the mining workforce, particularly for groups traditionally underrepresented in the industry.”

Hastings Deering is keen to be taking part in the Townsville based workshop.

“Hastings Deering’s staff also get a lot out of the workshops and enjoy encouraging students to take up these career paths,” Hastings Deering General Manager – People and External Affairs Vincent Cosgrove said.

The QMEA is a partnership between the Queensland Resources Council (QRC) and the Queensland Government under its Gateway to Industry Schools program. It has 46 schools throughout Queensland.

QRC is the peak representative body for Queensland ‘s resource sector. The Queensland resources sector provides one in every $6 dollars in the Queensland economy, sustains one in eight Queensland jobs, and supports more than 16,400 businesses across the state, all from 0.1 percent of Queensland’s land mass.