Students at Hedland Senior High School, in Western Australia, are set to receive real life skills and training in rail installation, thanks to the donation of 53 metres of rail track by BHP Western Australia Iron Ore.

The donation, valued at $280,000, means Hedland Senior High School is the only school in the country to have a rail installation of this size.

BHP WA Iron Ore Asset President, Edgar Basto, said the donated rail installation means students will graduate with important job-ready skills, helping to create a pipeline of talent in the Pilbara.

“We are proud to support young people in their education here in the Pilbara. This donation provides a fantastic opportunity for students to gain critical hands on experience, giving them important skills to allow them to follow a career pathway into the rail sector."

“This unique rail installation is the largest at any school in the country and we are delighted to have worked with Hedland Senior High to have made it happen,” Mr Basto said.

Hedland Senior High School Principal, Kelly Summers, said the school was excited to receive this generous donation and for the opportunities that it provides the students.

“The Rail and Infrastructure program highlights the level of innovation possible when schools and industry work together to address gaps in the local skills market. Being able to position students for successful careers across various sectors of the mining industry is really important for the growth of our region and our school.”

This follows BHP’s recent commitment to more than double the combined intake of apprenticeships and traineeships in Western Australia Iron Ore to 200 positions for 2018.

BHP currently employs about 300 apprentices and trainees in its WA iron ore operations, with most positions based in the Pilbara.