Education, News, Uncategorized

Industry focused STEM skills distributed to students

STEM

Students from Biloela State High School and Redeemer Lutheran College were given the chance to build industry competitive STEM skills, as they design and construct model hydraulic arms at a Queensland Minerals and Energy Academy (QMEA) workshop on the 19 October. 

Through support from Batchfire Resources, 25 grade high school students were given the chance to bolster their engineering and problem-solving skills as they participate in a workshop delivered by the QMEA, the education arm of the Queensland Resources Council (QRC).

QRC director of skills, education and diversity, Katrina-Lee Jones said the workshop is a unique educational experience linked with the Australian Science Curriculum, highlighting the wonders of physics in a resources-related context.

“Engineers and industrial designers, including in the resources sector, must factor in functionality and usability when designing and creating solutions to problems, and common components or standardized modular solutions are often included in the design process,” Jones said.

Examining the science of hydraulic devices and their uses within the industry, the students were provided with education on the topic of hydraulics, which use non-compressible fluids like hydraulic fluid, or in today’s workshop, water to transfer force through a system, which in turn generates movement.

“Today is an opportunity for the students to investigate how creative design and fundamental physics principles can make an otherwise difficult task safer, easier, and more efficient.”

Batchfire Resources CEO, Allan Fidock, said the resources and energy sector is always open to passionate and enthusiastic young people who want to build upon their science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) skills.

 “This workshop is all about inspiring the next generation to continue STEM studies, leading them to an exciting and rewarding career with either Batchfire Resources or elsewhere in the wider resources sector,” Fidock said.

“I am very pleased that Batchfire’s partnership with QMEA is giving these Biloela students firsthand experience of how their classroom learning can be applied to solve real-world challenges.”

As one of Australia’s largest and most successful industry-led education and schools training initiatives, the QMEA seeks to broaden student and teacher knowledge of career opportunities in the resources industry.

The QMEA encourages a talent pipeline of employees into vocational and professional careers, with a focus on female and Indigenous participation, currently the QMEA engages with 90 schools and is a partnership between the QRC and the Queensland Government under its Gateway to Industry Schools program.

For more information, visit the website here.

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