A trip underground in a mine environment simulator was a real eye-opener for students from Proserpine State High School today.

The Year 10 science students, were participating in a new Engineering Underground workshop, developed by the QMEA Resources Skills Academy to complement the underground mine facility at the Resources Centre of Excellence (RCOE) in Mackay.

Alex van Nunen, STEM Engagement Educator for the QMEA, said the underground mine simulator gave students the opportunity to learn in a realistic mining environment.

“Mining is the biggest industry in our region, this workshop connects students’ classroom learning with the local industry and takes advantage of this great facility at the RCOE,” said Mr van Nunen.

“While they are in the mine simulator environment, they are going to complete an engineering challenge relating to the haulage of mining resources, using evidence from the vehicles and machinery visible in the underground environment.”

Steven Boxall, RCOE CEO, welcomed the students to the centre.

“We have a lot of businesses using this facility for training and it is exciting to see students also getting to experience what it is like to go underground,” said Mr Boxall.

“I hope this experience sparks an interest in joining the resources sector, because it is a critical player in our regional economy and it would be good to see local students becoming a part of that workforce.”

The Underground Mining workshop is one of a series of new workshops being offered to schools joining the QMEA under its Mackay regional hub expansion. The students also got great industry insights from Hastings Deering experts who joined them for the workshop.

Ten schools have already joined the QMEA network under the Mackay-Isaac-Whitsunday regional hub expansion, with over 1000 students participating in the academy’s resources themed STEM workshops.

The QMEA regional hub expansion is an election commitment of the Queensland Government and forms part of Improved Completions, a joint initiative between the Australian Government and Queensland Government.