The 13 Year 12 students successfully completed a Certificate II in Resource and Infrastructure Work Preparation.

The qualification is supported by the Queensland Minerals and Energy Academy and was developed by SkillsDMC, the national industry skills council for the resources and infrastructure sectors.

The package was designed with the help of industry to provide students with a working knowledge of risk assessment, hazard management, communication and work procedures, enabling them to hit the ground running when they are employed on a minesite.

Each student has also completed a Certificate I in Resource and Infrastructure Operations and has performed a range of extra industry learning activities, including work placements at minesites with BHP Billiton Mitsubishi Alliance, Anglo Coal and Macarthur Coal.

They have also undertaken study and work experience through the Mining Industry Skills Centre’s Work Readiness program, and completed a Certificate II in Engineering through the Coalfields Training Excellence Centre in Moranbah.

CTEC is an industry-standard facility where students participate in practical, as well as theoretical, activities to complement their site-based assessments.

“Central Queensland is resource rich and provides enormous wealth to the Queensland economy, so it will certainly reap the rewards of having its own young people come to work and help expand their local industries,” QMEA director Roger Atkins said.