In an effort to encourage more students to take up careers in the minerals industry the scholarships were established in 2001, prompted by a shortage of qualified mining and minerals processing engineers.

QRC Chief Executive Susan Johnston said the Council was focussing a lot of attention on attracting the

best and the brightest into the industry.

‘The Council has commissioned a study that is currently under way to find out what’s behind Generation-Y’s choice of careers and, what our industry can do to encourage them to take up studies and training that lead to careers in the sector,” Johnston said.

‘The results of that study are due out in August and the Council is keen to act on the findings.

‘We are also working with the University of Queensland to find ways to optimise the delivery of mining and mineral processing education in order to attract more students and meet the industry’s needs.’

The council also has an extensive education program in which qualified teachers give presentations in Queensland schools to provide balanced information to students and teachers on the minerals and energy resources sector.