New teacher initiative to boost Pilbara education and training outcomes

• High school teachers to receive resource industry placements
• Part of the McGowan Government's Pilbara Collaboration Charter to improve employment, education and training in the Pilbara region

Teachers from Karratha Senior High School have swapped classrooms for mine sites under a new initiative between the State Government and the Western Australian resources sector.

The Teacher in Industry Placements program provides educators with first-hand experience of technology, standard practices and skills required in the resources sector today. This will get students ready for jobs by ensuring teachers' knowledge of workplaces are up to date.

This week, the first Pilbara-based teacher will be spending time at CITIC Pacific Mining's Sino Iron magnetite operation south of Karratha.

The industry placements will expose teachers to current practices and trends in the sector enabling them to take their newfound experience and knowledge back to the classroom. The program will initially pilot with science teachers from Karratha Senior High School and, if successful, will expand to cover other subject area teachers in 2020.

The Teacher in Industry Placements program is part of the Pilbara Collaboration Charter, an initiative between the State Government and the Chamber of Minerals and Energy of Western Australia and collaboration partners BHP, Chevron Australia, CITIC Pacific Mining, Fortescue Metals Group, Rio Tinto, Roy Hill, Woodside and Yara Pilbara.

Other initiatives under the charter include;

• A pre-apprenticeship program with North Regional TAFE linked to the mining industry, which has seen expressions of interest from 57 Karratha secondary school students;
• The creation of the Karratha Local Jobs Portal;
• Industry consultation sessions to help identify gaps and opportunities in the digital technologies curriculum; and
• 'In classroom partnerships' such as the Karratha Senior High School Science Fair during National Science Week.

The Pilbara Collaboration Charter was developed in response to the Premier's request for industry and government to work together to deliver further social and economic benefits to the Pilbara region.

Comments attributed to Education and Training Minister Sue Ellery:

"This initiative supports teachers to maintain industry practice and provides the opportunity to link student learning and teaching with work.

"The program will ensure we have a pipeline of skilled workers in the Pilbara well into the future, delivering a stronger regional economy."

Comments attributed to Pilbara MLA Kevin Michel:

"The Teacher in Industry Placements program will give teachers first-hand experience of industry practice in the resources sector and enable them to take this knowledge back to the classroom.

"The Pilbara Collaboration Charter continues to deliver social and economic benefits to the Pilbara region."

Minister's office - 6552 5700