Submission to the ACARA Australian F-10 Curriculum Review

The Australian minerals industry is an exciting and vibrant sector with plenty of highly skilled, innovative and technologically advanced roles on offer through various tertiary STEM pathways – including engineers, geologists, environmental scientists, and data analysts.

As an industry of choice with average earnings of $141,000 a year, the sector has a strong record in creating highly paid, skilled jobs. Combined with the industry commitment to young people through more than 8,600 apprenticeships and trainees, the resources sector is growing rapidly.

Young learners need to be equipped with the core foundational knowledge and skills to confidently pursue these exciting opportunities and educating them in STEM from an early age is fundamental to achieving this.

Encouraging primary and secondary students to learn about the mining industry and the science behind the formation of the earth, water systems and climate is an important building block, as are core foundational mathematics at a primary, secondary and senior secondary level.

That is what the MCA told the Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority (ACARA) in a submission to ACARA’s F-10 curriculum review.

Maintaining the course with earth sciences and mathematics curricula will support closing the gap on existing skills shortages; backing up the modern mining sector’s demand for the pipeline of highly skilled workers. Further, by supporting STEM pathways from primary and secondary education through to senior secondary and tertiary education, the innovative and technologically advanced roles of the future workforce of Australia will be supported by a highly skilled workforce.

MCA recommends ACARA:

• Expand or at least maintain existing curriculum relating to earth sciences, including the carbon cycle, water cycle and geology
• Review the Senior Secondary Curriculum, including compulsory study of mathematics
• Not proceed with the proposed transition to an inquiry based learning model without key foundational learning modules in place.