
The Queensland Minerals and Energy Academy (QMEA) has marked another successful year, delivering an unprecedented 233 workshops, programs, and camps to school students across Queensland in 2024.
This achievement highlights the organisation’s commitment to inspiring students to pursue studies in science, technology, engineering, mathematics (STEM), and trades.
QRC Chief Executive Officer, Janette Hewson, announced that over 6,200 students participated in QMEA programs or workshops this year.
“This is a significant number of young minds who will now be considering the professional and trade roles available to them in mining or energy companies,” Hewson stated.
The 2024 results demonstrate the QMEA’s substantial impact across its network of 100 regional and southeast Queensland schools.
Students from QMEA schools show a higher likelihood of pursuing engineering and related technologies compared to non-QMEA schools (20 per cent vs 18 per cent).
They are also more likely to enter mining industry apprenticeships (5.1 per cent vs 2.6 per cent).
Notable trends include:
- Female students from QMEA schools are more likely to enter mining industry apprenticeships (4.4 per cent vs 1.8 per cent)
- Indigenous students from QMEA schools show higher rates of entering mining industry apprenticeships (6.2 per cent vs 4.7 per cent)
At a special breakfast event, Hewson introduced the incoming 2025 student ambassadors for the academy.
Twenty students entering Year 12 in 2025 will take on leadership roles for the QMEA in their schools and local communities.
Bryson Head MP, Assistant Minister for Regional Development, Resources and Critical Minerals, was the guest speaker at the event.
As QMEA approaches its 20th anniversary in 2025, it has received a funding commitment from the Queensland government to expand its network to an additional 50 Queensland schools.
“The success of 2024 has laid the perfect foundation for the academy to expand and encourage more regional Queenslanders to pursue a career in the resources sector,” Hewson remarked.
The resources sector in Queensland is projected to need an additional 30,000 workers by the end of the decade. Initiatives like the QMEA play a crucial role in creating a pipeline of talent for the future.
Hewson highlighted that the new workforce wave will help the industry innovate and meet demands for greater productivity, increased safety, and further sustainability.
The QMEA’s continued success and expansion underscore its vital role in shaping the future workforce of Queensland’s resources sector, ensuring a skilled and diverse talent pool for years to come.