QRC wants teacher recruitment to add more industrial design mentors

THE Queensland Government campaign to attract more people into the teaching profession is an opportunity to fill the depleting ranks of industrial design teachers, according to the Queensland Resources Council.

QRC chief executive Ian Macfarlane said QRC has worked over the last 12 months with the government and a range of stakeholders to discuss the lack of industrial design – formerly known as 'manual arts' – teachers in Queensland schools.

Mr Macfarlane said the QRC on behalf of the State’s resources industry was working tirelessly with students and teachers to promote STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) in 75 secondary schools through the Queensland Minerals and Energy Academy (QMEA).

“QMEA is a joint initiative between industry and the Government to encourage Queensland students to embrace STEM and the future opportunities open to them in study and in work,” he said.

“The QRC absolutely welcomes efforts to attract more teachers, and we particularly want to see a strong focus on getting more manual arts teachers at the front of classrooms.

“Manual arts – or industrial design as it’s now known – gives students important hand skills that are critical to a range of industries, including resource sector jobs whether it is coal, minerals or gas.”

Mr Macfarlane said the QRC would continue to work with industry to build the capacity of Industrial Design Teachers by upskilling tradespeople who might have lost jobs during the COVID-19 health crisis.

In June this year, the QRC proposed to the government that it offer 20 scholarships at $40,000 per annum for four years to assist with the upskilling of tradespeople.

www.qrc.org.au

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