Pegler’s address to delegates at COAL 2005, the 6th Australasian Coal Operators’ Conference, focused on the skills shortage affecting the resources sector and what the QRC, as a representative “federation” of mining companies, was doing about it.

A formal study – called the Generation-Y study – was recently commissioned by the QRC and set out to determine why the resources sector held such limited appeal to young people.

The study showed young people had no real understanding of what it meant to be an engineer, a geologist, or an environmental scientist in the industry; were unaware of the career opportunities available; were not exposed to the resources sector through their schooling; and had no visible role models in industry.

“Our Generation-Y study also highlighted a more generic challenge that has preoccupied governments for some time, and that is, the need to generate greater student interest in mathematics and science,” he said.

A package of initiatives eventuating from this study aims to increase enrolments in senior secondary school science subjects and increase enrolments in areas such as geology, mining and minerals process engineering.

The Future Directions Initiative is a joint initiative that includes the involvement of state government Departments of Education, State Development and Innovation, Employment and Training, and Natural Resources and Mines.

Among the initiatives is a new QRC scholarships scheme, the development of a QRC careers guide and specialised website, and a high profile at careers nights and expos.

The creation of the Queensland Academy of Minerals and Energy, announced in November 2004 by premier Peter Beattie, adds a substantial third string to the QRC’s education and career marketing program, Pegler said.

“What we are talking about here is a virtual academy … not an edifice in bricks and mortar but a highly organised scholastic community linked by curriculum, local influences and common goals,” Pegler said.

The concept revolves around Academy hubs, serviced by “gateway schools” that will bring to the attention of mid-secondary students and teachers the importance of the mining and energy industries. It is expected three hubs will be announced soon for centres in northern, central and southern Queensland.

The hub idea involves the development of new senior school subjects that recognise the resources sector and the creation of a head of department, located in QRC’s Brisbane offices, who reports to a joint industry and government board.

Industry interaction will occur by means of work experience, structured industry placement, school-based traineeships, and cadetships and vacation employment. Pegler emphasised the importance of involving first year university students in vacation work at mines, something the company he heads, Ensham Resources, has been doing.

As for the tertiary sector, QRC lobbied against a decision to scale down the Division of Mining and Minerals Process Engineering at the University of Queensland. Pegler said a Joint Task Force reported in January 2005 and the resultant arrangements were expected to be made public this month

Pegler also said it was time to engage more women in mining. Despite female participation rate in the industry doubling over the past 20 years, he pointed out this meant it had gone from 3% to 6%.

“Coupled with that, twice as many females as males drop out of our industry. Now we’ve all heard the crib room theories about why this happens, but clearly, we still have a long way to go before the situation is rectified,” he said.

QRC has commissioned a study to find out why the mining industry, as an employer group screaming out for talent, rates so dismally with women.

“We are in no position – on either social or economic grounds – to continue behaviours that result in us immediately distancing ourselves from half the Australian population,” he said.

“Just as the industry’s Future Directions Initiative and Action Plans arose from the Generation Y study, we can expect that the industry must develop new directions concerning participation by women. It is indeed amazing to find many of our companies recruiting around the world when a vast talent pool resides with us here in Queensland.”