The Queensland Minerals and Energy Academy (QMEA) is a highly successful industry-education partnership, operating as a collaboration between the Queensland Resources Council (QRC) and the Queensland Government through the Gateway to Industry Schools Program. The Academy offers a range of workshops, programs and camps to broaden knowledge of the resources sector for secondary students, providing pathways for young people into resources sector and related careers. 

The Academy connects students to the resources sector through STEM and trade workshops and camps that are delivered in partnership with mining and energy companies, often operating in the local area. The QMEA also facilitates programs for Year 12 students interested in following a trade or professional career in the resources sector after school including a Student Ambassador Program and the GIRLS (Girls in Resources Leadership Skills) mentoring program, delivered in partnership with Women in Mining and Resources Queensland (WIMARQ). 

The resources sector faces significant workforce challenges. Skill shortages coupled with a reluctance of younger generations to join the sector present a real capability risk for the industry. QMEA is committed to showcasing resources careers and pathways to young people while also increasing awareness amongst students from underrepresented groups, including females and Indigenous students.

The QMEA embeds mining into the classroom, as a tangible, lived experience, helping students see what is possible through immersive, hands-on programs that bring the mining sector to life. From virtual simulations in trade workshops to STEM experiments modelled on processes used in the exploration and production of resources, these experiences expose students to careers they might not have previously considered and highlight the important role that STEM plays in the resources industry.

The Academy takes a tiered approach, introducing basic concepts and awareness in primary years, building progressively toward career readiness and decision making in Years 11 and 12. For young women in Year 12, the Girls In Resources Leadership Skills (GIRLS) Mentoring Program partners 20 female students with an industry mentor to undertake a structured six-month program, building their industry knowledge and confidence in pursuing a career in resources. The Student Ambassador Program gives high-achieving Year 12 students from regional and south-east Queensland unmatched industry networking opportunities while nurturing their leadership skills.

In the 2025/26 financial year, QMEA engaged with 7600 students across 308 workshops.
According to Next Step Destination Data collected by the Queensland Department of Education, students at QMEA schools were 3 times more likely to enter an apprenticeship or traineeship in the mining industry compared to students from non-QMEA schools. Female students at QMEA schools were over 4 times more likely to enter a mining apprenticeship or traineeship compared to their peers at non-QMEA schools. Indigenous students at QMEA schools who entered an apprenticeship or traineeship were more than twice as likely to choose the mining industry. These outcomes represent a significant shift for students in the QMEA network of schools, demonstrating these students see the industry as a rewarding career destination. 

With funding received through a Queensland Government election commitment, the QMEA will add an additional 50 schools to its network and engage with up to 10,000 more students as part of a regional expansion. The first regional hub, in the greater Mackay area has resulted in 10 more schools joining the QMEA network with further regional hubs in Rockhampton and Townsville scheduled to come online in 2026 and 2027. 

The Academy is also expanding its workshop offerings to meet emerging industry needs: new digital technology, critical minerals and sustainability workshops explore how STEM concepts apply in the resources sector and connect to the workforce skills needed for the future. The trajectory is clear, the QMEA is scaling its reach, deepening its regional footprint, and aligning its content to the skills the industry needs for success in the decades ahead.