LNP to Give AU$2.5 Million to Expand Queensland Minerals and Energy Academy

The Liberal National Party (LNP) has committed AU$2.5 million to expand the Queensland Minerals and Energy Academy, LNP leader David Crisafulli announced in an August 30 press release.

The funds will be used to build a pipeline of resource workers for Queensland’s future, with AU$2 million allotted to boosting the academy and AU$500,000 intended to increase the number of women in operating and technical roles.

“The Queensland Minerals and Energy Academy played a critical role in developing a secure pipeline of skilled workers for the resources sector, which employs more than 50,000 Queenslanders,” Crisafulli said in a statement, adding that the LNP is committed to securing, skilling and protecting the workforce across the state.

According to the LNP, over 15,000 Queensland businesses rely on skilled young workers.

The expansion of the academy will provide students with opportunities in science, technology, engineering and maths, potentially directing them toward employment in the STEM and resource industries.

The program also aims to produce more homegrown talent with the hope of reducing Queensland's reliance on hiring overseas or interstate employees. “That means local educators, teaching local students to protect and create local jobs in their local communities,” Crisafulli added in last week's press release.

The Queensland Minerals and Energy Academy is part of the LNP’s larger plan for the state's future.

According to the Australian government, mining is a "small employing industry," accounting for around 2.1 percent of the country’s workers, or 300,400 people. The statistics it provides suggest that most mining jobs are in Western Australia and Queensland, with the bulk of employment in the Pilbara and Gladstone regions.

“The mining and energy sector will continue to be pivotal to Queensland’s prosperity and success, this will help ensure we have the jobs to match the opportunities,” Crisafulli furthered in the announcement.

The academy is committed to providing employment pathways for both the traditional parts of the mining sector, including coal and gas, and the emerging critical minerals and energy markets.

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Securities Disclosure: I, Gabrielle Luisa de la Cruz, hold no direct investment interest in any company mentioned in this article.