Sixty new apprentices begin work with BMA in the Bowen Basin this week, with a recruitment drive is underway for more than 60 more.

The Class of ’21 is a diverse group, with more female apprentices than male, from school leavers through to mature age.

More than 85 per cent of them come from regional Queensland and nearly one-quarter are Indigenous.

Chloe Tougher, who just finished Year 12 at Yeppoon High School, is heading to Blackwater to begin her boilermaker apprenticeship.

“It’s really exciting to know we’re one of the first to have a lot of girls involved,” she said.

“I’ve had so much fun this week being in the workshop, meeting different people. Everyone gets in and gives everyone a hand.”

Among the largest cohort ever, Ms Tougher completed the Work Readiness program at Emerald, which was designed in 2011 to prepare them for on-site safety requirements.

• The next round of BMA traineeships on offer will provide nationally accredited qualifications and skills in the disciplines of Resource Processing, Surface Extraction, Laboratory Skills, Business Administration, Supply Chain Operations and Project Management.