UQ engineering graduates boost resources sector

A record number of metallurgical engineers will graduate from The University of Queensland (UQ) this year.

UQ will graduate 25 Bachelor of Engineering (Chemical and Metallurgical) in 2010 - the highest number of metallurgical engineering gradates from any Australian university and more than half the total number of metallurgical engineering graduates in the country.

Bachelor of Engineering (Chemical and Metallurgical) student Elsa Borchardt will be one of the graduands to receive her award at today's (Wednesday, 15 December 2010) graduation ceremony and said she was excited about starting her career as a process engineer with Xstrata Coal at Newlands, Central Queensland in 2011.

"I chose to do chemical and metallurgical engineering because I wanted lots of opportunities for career progression, and the resources sector is growing stronger and stronger," Ms Borchardt said.

"UQ has provided me with the skills and knowledge I need to excel in my future career, and I have really enjoyed the last four years in class and out at industry sites."

UQ's School of Chemical Engineering Program Leader in Metallurgical Engineering and Xstrata Chair, Professor Peter Hayes, said UQ is believed to be the only university in the world that offers a unique Bachelor of Engineering (Chemical and Metallurgical) degree program, providing the resources sector with much needed skills in the highly specialised field of metallurgy.

"Metallurgical engineers play a key role in transforming raw materials into valuable minerals and metal products, which makes UQ's metallurgical engineering program vital to the ongoing strength of the resources sector," Professor Hayes said.

"UQ's strategic collaborations with Xstrata, BHP Billiton Mitsubishi Alliance and the Minerals Council of Australia to reinvigorate our metallurgy program have ensured that quality metallurgical engineers are trained to meet the strong demands of today's mineral industry.

"The program is attractive to students because it is challenging, in-demand and highly valued by industry which leads to strong job opportunities."

For more information on the Bachelor of Engineering (Chemical and Metallurgical) program visit http://www.chemeng.uq.edu.au/Metallurgical-Engineering-About

Media: Professor Peter Hayes (p.hayes@uq.edu.au or 3365 3551) or Izzy Koh (i.koh@uq.edu.au or 3346 7696)