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20 Rockhampton State High School students will trade places for the day today, donning high vis gear and getting on the tools as part of an on-campus ‘Tradies for a Day’ workshop.

The hands-on workshop is being run by the Queensland Resources Council’s (QRC) education arm, the Queensland Minerals and Energy Academy (QMEA), to encourage Year 10 students to consider a VET or STEM pathway to a job in the resources sector.

The workshop is supported by Bravus Mining and Resources and offers students the chance to learn more about auto electrics, pneumatics, mechanics, drawing and aptitude testing.

“Bravus Mining and Resources is proud to support this event to help students understand the opportunities and career paths on offer, including trade careers,” said Bravus Mining and Resources Chief Executive Officer, David Boshoff.

“Rockhampton is one of our regional employment hubs and so it is important that we provide local children the chance to benefit from our support,” he said.

“We want them to know about the many opportunities open to them in our sector, that can potentially bring them back to their home-towns and keep regional communities strong, while building the skilled workforce that we need.”

Hastings Deering industry representatives will also attend today’s workshop to mentor students by sharing their career experiences in resources and providing advice on how students can achieve their goals.

QRC Director of Education, Skills and Diversity Katrina-Lee Jones said job opportunities in the mining sector have grown by 15 percent over the 12 months to February this year according to the latest Australian Bureau of Statistics data.

“That’s more than 10,000 additional jobs created over the past year in spite of COVID-19, which shows just how strong, resilient and ready the resources sector is to take on skilled people with a VET or STEM background,” she said.

Rockhampton State High School Principal Kirsten Dwyer said she was delighted to welcome QMEA and Bravus to the school to demonstrate the opportunities available to students and share insights into the career paths available to them in resources.

“At Rockhampton State High School, we believe our students can achieve anything so this event will help provide a foundation for achievement in STEM and trade careers,” she said.

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.

The academy encourages a talent pipeline of employees into VET and STEM-related careers, with a focus on female and Indigenous participation. Currently engaging 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 body for coal, metal and gas explorers, producers and suppliers across the resources sector. It contributes one in every five dollars to the state economy, sustains one in six Queensland jobs, supports more than 15,000 businesses and contributes to more than 1,200 community organisations – all from 0.1 percent of Queensland’s land mass.

Media contact: Ellie Blumel – 0448122948 or ellieb@qrc.org.au