Community
16 September, 2024
Mount Isa VET students hone trade skills
The senior students participated in a five-day Oresome Trades Camp.
Textbooks and whiteboards were swapped for trade tools and circuit wires this month for some Year 12 students from Spinifex State College and Good Shepherd Catholic School in Mount Isa.
The vocational education and training (VET) students participated in a five-day Oresome Trades Camp delivered by the Queensland Minerals and Energy Academy (QMEA) in partnership with Glencore.
Tradespeople from Mount Isa Mines helped students to build a model mine site vehicle complete with mechanical, metalwork and electrical components.
The QMEA is the education arm of the Queensland Resources Council (QRC) delivering a range of trade and STEM workshops to Queensland students, encouraging them to learn about the possibilities of working in the resources industry.
QRC director of education, skills and diversity Katrina-Lee Jones said trade camps were popular with students.
“These Year 12 students have selected a VET program pathway for their final years of school, so they are invested in following a trades career,” she said.
“Having a full week to acquire new skills, complete a hands-on detailed project and connect with experienced industry tradespeople from Glencore is a great opportunity for them and a pathway to a future apprenticeship or internship.”
By the end of the week, students designed a model mine site vehicle for presenting back to Glencore, educators and QMEA instructors.
Glencore’s Fiona Pascoe said their team was excited to be working with the students and sharing their career experiences with them.
“Weeks like this are incredibly valuable for young people in our community which is why we wanted to be involved,” she said.
“Our four-year apprenticeship program is one of the largest in Queensland and we would like to see school leavers from Mount Isa join this program and be a part of the future of Glencore.”