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Chatting is usually frowned on in the classroom but not today when 24 eager Year Nine students from Roma State College learn how to program virtual assistants in a ‘Chatbot’ workshop presented by the Queensland Minerals and Energy Academy (QMEA).

As the school engagement arm of the Queensland Resources Council (QRC), the QMEA delivers programs and workshops across the state to introduce students to a range of activities that take place every day in jobs throughout the resources sector.

“We are delighted to have Origin’s support for this workshop where students will collaborate to design and program their own chatbot,” said QRC’s Policy Director of Skills, Education and Diversity, Katrina-Lee Jones.

‘“AI and automation are increasingly being incorporated into the way we work, and it’s important for students to become excited about potential careers in these areas,” she said.

“It’s a great opportunity for the students to have an exciting, hands-on opportunity to expand their understanding of robotics and automation, and observe how their schoolwork fits into that,”

“The workshop will help our students see the practical uses of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM), while encouraging them to continue high-level STEM subjects into senior years,” said Roma State College Principal, Guy Hendriks.

The QMEA is Australia’s largest and most successful industry-led education and skills training initiative and seeks to broaden student and teacher knowledge of VET and STEM career opportunities available in the resources sector, with a focus on female and Indigenous participation. Currently engaged with 80 schools, the QMEA is part of the Gateway to Industry Schools Program, proudly supported and funded by the Queensland Government.

The QRC is Queensland’s peak representative body for coal, metal and gas explorers, producers and suppliers across the resources sector. It contributes one in every five dollars to the Queensland economy, sustains one in six Queensland jobs, supports more than 15,000 businesses and contributes to more than 1,200 community organisations across the state – all from 0.1 percent of Queensland’s land mass.