Queensland Invests in Mining Skills to Train the Next Generation

Highlights

• Queensland is funding QMEA to expand regional STEM pathways

• New workshops connect classroom learning to real mine-site applications

• Future hubs aim to reach more students across the state

Skills shortages do not ease on their own. They are reduced when students see clear pathways, modern job roles, and practical connections between school learning and real industry work. Queensland is backing the Queensland Minerals and Energy Academy with new funding to expand digital technology and physics workshops in regional schools, supporting a future workforce for the resources sector. For the broader ASX stock market audience, this kind of education pipeline matters because workforce capability underpins project execution, productivity and the scale-up of new technologies across operations.

What has Queensland announced?

Queensland is providing funding support for the Queensland Minerals and Energy Academy, which is rolling out a series of workshops focused on digital technologies and physics across schools in the Mackay, Isaac and Whitsunday regions. The initiative is framed as a practical response to evolving industry needs and the skills required for modern resources work.

What is QMEA and what does it do?

QMEA is a school-to-industry pathway program connected to Queensland’s resources sector. Its purpose is to:

• introduce students to resources careers early,

• connect STEM learning to real workplace applications,

• build familiarity with modern technologies used in operations,

• support teachers and schools with industry-relevant program content.

This matters because modern mining increasingly relies on technical capability, automation awareness, data fluency, and safe systems thinking.

Why focus on digital technology and physics workshops?

Mining is becoming more technology-intensive, not less. Workshops that bring digital technologies and physics into a mining context can make STEM feel tangible and career-linked.

What does “digital technologies” look like in a resources context?

Digital technologies in mining can include:

• automation and remote operations awareness,

• sensor-driven monitoring and data collection,

• software-enabled planning and optimisation,

• coding and systems thinking used in operational tools.

Workshops like “Mining for Code” aim to show students that digital skills can translate into real roles across resources, from site systems support to technology deployment.

Why is physics relevant?

Physics is embedded in how mines move materials, manage energy, and operate equipment safely. A workshop such as “Pulleys for Productivity” helps link classroom concepts to:

• lifting and load movement,

• mechanical advantage and safety,

• equipment handling and process efficiency.

These links can shift perception: mining is not only about digging, it is also about engineering systems and operating complex industrial environments.

Why is Queensland putting emphasis on regional students?

Regional communities often sit closest to resources activity, and the sector is a major local employer. Expanding regional participation can:

• grow local job pathways,

• reduce relocation barriers for employers and workers,

• strengthen long-term community capability,

• support a sustained talent pipeline for future projects.

Planned hubs in other regional centres also signal an intent to broaden reach beyond a single corridor.

What problem is this trying to solve?

The update reflects a well-known issue: skills shortages and capability gaps across mining, particularly in technical and trade-aligned roles. The challenge is not only availability of workers, but also:

• competition for similar skills from other industries,

• changing perceptions among young people,

• limited awareness of the breadth of roles in modern mining,

• the need for stronger early-stage career pathways.

Programs that start at school level can help reduce friction later by giving students earlier exposure to realistic role types and training pathways.

Which schools are involved first?

The first local schools referenced under the regional expansion include:

• Mackay Christian College

• Holy Spirit College

• Proserpine State High School

Early delivery has focused on junior secondary year groups, which is useful because career perception often forms before senior subject selection.

What should readers watch next?

For initiatives like this, practical indicators of impact usually include:

• how many schools join the network over time,

• how many students participate consistently across years,

• whether participation expands into structured work experience and vocational pathways,

• whether the program evolves to reflect emerging roles such as automation support, data technicians and environmental monitoring specialists.

Workforce capability is a long-cycle outcome, but sustained education pathways can materially shape the pipeline for critical roles.