When many people think about mining, they picture haul trucks, excavators and drill rigs.
What they don’t often see is the technology driving every decision behind the scenes.
From data analytics and automation to dashboards, digital systems and problem-solving, today’s resources industry relies on technology just as much as heavy equipment. That’s exactly why the WA Mining Club partnered with CoRE Learning Foundation to create Pit to Pixel.
Pit to Pixel is helping Year 9 students discover the digital side of the resources industry by connecting classroom learning with real industry challenges and the people solving them every day.
Rather than learning Digital Technologies through hypothetical examples, students work with authentic mining data, hear directly from industry professionals and gain a better understanding of the skills shaping the future of Australia’s resources sector.
The results from the recently completed semester show just how powerful that connection can be.
After completing the program:
These aren’t just classroom outcomes. They are practical skills used every day across the modern resources sector.
One industry mentor summed it up perfectly:
“The ability to analyse data and put it into dashboards that are useful regarding decision making is something very helpful in the mining industry.”
Pit to Pixel isn’t only benefiting students.
Teachers reported greater confidence delivering Digital Technologies through a real industry context, with access to industry experts identified as one of the program’s greatest strengths. Eight professional development sessions were delivered throughout the semester, helping educators build capability alongside their students.
Industry mentors also saw the value firsthand, rating the program 5 out of 5 and reporting a significant improvement in students’ understanding of the resources industry.
Semester 1 proved that meaningful partnerships between education and industry can change the way young people see their future.
As with every pilot program, there have been valuable lessons along the way. Feedback from students, educators and industry has already been used to refine the program for Semester 2, including simplifying delivery, expanding the Digital Technologies content, strengthening educator support and creating an even more consistent mentor experience.
The momentum is already building.
Twenty-two schools across Western Australia, Victoria, South Australia, Queensland and New South Wales have expressed interest in participating, with additional schools already looking ahead to the 2027 program.
None of this would be possible without the organisations that have backed the program from the beginning. The WA Mining Club sincerely thanks our partners, industry mentors and sponsors who have invested their time, expertise and support into Pit to Pixel. Your contribution is helping inspire the next generation, strengthen digital capability in our schools and build meaningful connections between education and the resources industry.
For the WA Mining Club, Pit to Pixel represents more than an education initiative.
It’s about helping the next generation understand what our industry really looks like today. It’s about breaking outdated perceptions, creating pathways into rewarding careers and connecting young people with the professionals who are shaping one of Australia’s most innovative industries.
By bringing classrooms and industry together, we’re helping students see that the future of mining isn’t only built in the pit.
It’s also built from the pixel.
If your school, or a school you know, would like to be part of Pit to Pixel, we’d love to hear from you. Please get in touch with Barry Upton at education@waminingclub.asn.au to learn more about the program and how your students can get involved.
