The Queensland Resources Council (QRC) has welcomed a commitment of $30 million for the new CQ University School of Mines and Manufacturing in Gladstone and Rockhampton.
QRC Chief Executive Ian Macfarlane said the resources sector contributed more than $7 billion to the Fitzroy region's economy and more than 40,000 full-time equivalent jobs across the region, and the development of skills was critical to future investment and employment.
"The Queensland Resources Council, with the support of its members and the Palaszczuk Government, promotes science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) in classrooms of 60 secondary schools across the State through the Queensland Minerals and Energy Academy," Mr Macfarlane said.
"We would welcome the opportunity to work with the School of Mines and Manufacturing to ensure the promised investment maximises the employment opportunities in the sector.
"Over the last 15 months, the resources sector has created a new job every 57 minutes. Despite increasing unemployment in Queensland, the resources sector continues to create jobs for Queensland men and women."
Mr Macfarlane said the LNP commitment followed an earlier pledge by the Federal Labor Opposition to contribute $75 million for a road map for a new generation of mines, will help deliver new discoveries, new investment, new exports and new jobs for Queensland.
