GET INVOLVED · Young Persons
Young Persons
Supporting the next generation entering the mining and minerals industry.
Student Support
MinSouth is committed to supporting students and early-career professionals through competitions, sponsorship, and opportunities to get involved with the wider industry.
Young Persons’ Lecture Competition
Each year, IOM3 runs the Young Persons’ Lecture Competition (YPLC) — a chance for students and early-career professionals to present a 15-minute lecture on a topic related to materials, minerals, or mining. MinSouth organises its local heat in March each year; winners progress to the regional final, and then the national final.
The competition is open to students and graduates aged 28 or under, and requires a short abstract (max. 150 words) submitted in advance. Prizes and certificates are awarded to winners.
For details on submitting an abstract, deadlines, and this year’s local heat, see our YPLC event page
Student financial support and scholarships
MinSouth awards sponsorship to students and student groups in the form of student grants to support their continued professional development and learning in minerals and mining disciplines, helping them into the sector. Submissions are considered throughout the year and should include a description of the request, a short applicant biography, the learning benefit, and a budget request, for consideration by the council’s Early Careers Committee. Please contact us for further details.
IOM3 offers a range of scholarships, grants, and bursaries to support students in the field. Awards are judged on academic excellence, so candidates should be able to demonstrate strong academic ability — funding based on financial hardship alone isn’t the focus of these awards.
Field Trip Sponsorship
MinSouth will consider sponsorship of a relevant student group to undertake field trips, allowing on-site learning. Contact us for details or to submit a request for event sponsorship.
Student Representation on Council
Each year, MinSouth invites student representatives to join the Council. These representatives keep us connected to student issues and help shape the initiatives MinSouth supports. If you’d like to find out who represents students on your course, or how to become a representative, get in touch.
MinSouth and Education
MinSouth members are keen to help teachers explain to their students just how important the minerals industry is to society — and the role geologists, mining engineers, mineral processing technologists, and extractive metallurgists play in providing the metals and minerals we depend on every day.
Have a question about student support?
Get in touch to find out more about the Lecture Competition, sponsorship, or getting involved with MinSouth as a student.