Tieri and Middlemount students learn STEM from Anglo American Mine staff

Dozens of Central Queensland students recently teamed up with mining groups to broaden their STEM skills for the future.

Tieri State School and Middlemount Community School students were recently given the chance increase their knowledge of science, technology, engineering and math thanks to the Queensland Minerals and Energy Academy.

Over two days, around 75 students from both schools took part in the interactive educational experiences with staff from mining giant Anglo American.

The first workshop took place on Tuesday, October 25 at Middlemount Community School when Grade 10 students were STEM Tradies for a Day and designed and built a model hydraulic arm.

The following day Tieri State School students in grades five and six worked on resourceful robots and used their IT skills to finish a Lego EV3 challenge as part of a team.

Middlemount SHS principal Rod Flood believes students from across different grades can greatly improve their understanding of a subject by being given the opportunity to apply the theory to real world scenarios.

Grade 10 Students from Middlemount Community School being STEM Tradies for a day on Tuesday, 25 October, 2022, with staff from Anglo American.

“QMEA workshops are an invaluable opportunity for students to get hands-on work experience in the safety of a classroom environment,” Mr Flood said.

“We’re passionate about preparing our students for life after school, and these activities have helped them build their teamwork, critical thinking, and problem-solving skills.”

General manager of Anglo American’s Aquila Mine, Shane McDowall, said the combined STEM trade topic of these workshops took the impressive technology of required classroom curriculum and showed students how it was applied in a resources situation.

“We’re committed to supporting regional skills development, including in STEM and trade areas, and we hope these experiences encourage students to pursue tertiary pathways to a rewarding career in mining,” Mr McDowall said.

“Our team enjoys sharing their knowledge and experience with the next generation, so it was great to have representatives from both our local underground and open cut teams share their experiences with the students and mentor them as they worked through workshops activities.

“Thank you to everyone who supported the workshops,” Mr McDowall said.

QRC director of Skills, Education and Diversity, Katrina-Lee Jones, knows how important it is to get passionate, young people with a flair for problem solving and an interest in inventive technology to join the mining sector.

“The resources and energy sector employs some of the most skilled and highest-paid professionals across a range of technical disciplines, and an enduring skills shortage means there is no shortage of rewarding job opportunities for the next generation,” Ms Jones said.

“From auto electricians and welders to environmental scientists and mining engineers, there’s an abundance of STEM and vocational pathways available, and the workshops this week have given the students a sneak-peek into some of the sector’s most in-demand professions.”