Komatsu Australia (Komatsu) has launched a new program during National Skills Week to nurture young talent and highlight the diverse career opportunities in the construction and mining sectors across the country.
The program targets school and university students, as well as recent graduates, and includes several initiatives. These involve promoting science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) in schools, hosting technical workshops and seminars tailored to students and educators, providing work experience and placements within Komatsu, and partnering with educational organisations to develop curriculums and hands-on learning experiences. The aim is to raise awareness of the various roles in heavy industries.
Zara Carey, general manager for people experience at Komatsu, believes the program will equip the next generation of industry leaders with the skills necessary for careers in heavy equipment or mining.
“Often, people think the only jobs available in heavy industries are for mechanics or service technicians, but as our sector embraces more technology and innovative solutions, our workforce is shifting too,” says Carey. “We’re seeing a stronger focus on STEM opportunities, and we want to demonstrate this variety of career options available to the youth of today.”
“Komatsu is a unique workplace as we offer multiple pathways for employment. You might start in a hands-on role, but often can shift sideways or upwards to a more managerial or technical role, such as analytics engineering, data science or software development.
“This is what we want our youth program to promote: that there are different opportunities out there that school leavers might not know of, and Komatsu could just be the place for you.”
Related stories:
To launch the program, Komatsu has partnered with educational organisation STEM Punks to deliver a workshop for students in years 7 to 9. The workshop focuses on autonomous vehicles and the data and technology behind them, with students engaging in simulations and challenges to test their knowledge.
“We’ve started and ended National Skills Week with these two workshops at our Innovation Hub in Brisbane,” says Carey. “The students will get to learn about sensor systems, wireless communication, cloud data and Komatsu’s intelligent Machine Control, and how to code and apply these new skills to control a robot platform.”
The new program highlights Komatsu’s commitment to equipping the future workforce with the technology and skills needed for advancing their careers.
The post Komatsu Youth Program to build STEM skills for heavy industries appeared first on Inside Construction.