Pit to Pixel: Bringing Real-World Digital Technologies to Year 9 Classrooms in 2026

Are you a teacher looking to bring real-world STEM learning into your classroom?

The CoRE Learning Foundation and the WA Mining Club proudly present Pit to Pixel, a FREE, ready-to-use Year 9 Digital Technologies program. This program incorporates our proven CoRE Learning Model to help connect student learning to careers in the resources industry.

A Future Focused Partnership

For more than 50 years, the WA Mining Club has been at the heart of Western Australia’s resources sector. With a shared commitment to growing future resource industry leaders, they’re helping CoRE connect students with mining professionals and industry experts. Throughout the program, students work in business units to interpret real industry data, build digital dashboards, and explore how STEM and technology are used in day-to-day operations in the resources sector. 

One of the most exciting parts of the CoRE Learning Model is how clearly students see the pathway from classroom learning to careers in the resources industry. Through CoRE’s strong connections with both education and industry, students gain an understanding of the real-world applications of their learning and how these skills are transferable to WA’s resource sector careers. This ensures their learning is not just theoretical, but a true reflection of how the industry operates today.

What makes the Pit to Pixel program unique is its seamless integration of real-world experiences and industry careers. You and your students will be sitting shoulder-to-shoulder with industry professionals to complete this project. By gaining access to our network of resource industry and digital technology experts, you gain the industry context needed to transform your classroom into an authentic, real-world simulation

Turn your Classroom into a Real Mining Operation

Across one semester (two periods per week), Year 9 students take on a guided STEM Project that mirrors the challenges facing modern mining operations. Students will work with real mining data, tools and constraints to design digital solutions.

The program offers a digital tech program framework that’s customisable and encourages fun, student-centered learning. This is a flexible program that you can tailor to your class requirements. Whether you are introducing basic data knowledge to beginners or diving into complex topics with advanced learners, the customisation of the program ensures that the content remains exciting and relevant.

Everything is mapped to the new SCSA Year 9 Digital Technologies curriculum. The program provides a practical way for teachers to transition to the new curriculum requirements, whilst offering ready-to-use activities that appeal to a broad range of students.

What Students Receive

Pit to Pixel takes students on a learning journey that connects skills with purpose. Over the semester, students step out of their roles as "pupils" and into the shoes of a Data Analyst who works alongside Mining Engineers, Geologists, and Data Specialists. During the program, students learn to:

• Collect, analyse, and interpret real-world mining data

• Solve logistical challenges within the resources industry.

• Build critical thinking, problem-solving and design thinking skills.

• Apply their knowledge of Digital Technologies to everyday processes on a real mine site.

• Work in Business Units to design innovative digital solutions

• Explore future STEM and digital career pathways

• Use digital tools to extract insights

• Communicate their thinking in a professional context

The program concludes with students presenting their ideas and solutions to a panel of WA Mining Club industry professionals. Students step up to become the emerging professionals of the resources industry and connect with their community to showcase both their projects and the depth of their understanding.

What Educators Receive

Pit to Pixel is designed to support teachers in bringing innovation to their classrooms. It provides the digital resources, structure and industry connections that make hands-on STEM learning engaging and relevant for students.

Throughout the program, you receive:

• A flexible Digital Technologies program framework, aligned with the Year 9 SCSA Digital Technologies curriculum

• Detailed, online resources to help you facilitate the program.

•  Our bespoke AI Agent to further develop your capabilities in data visualisation

• Ongoing mentoring and professional development from a dedicated CoRE Foundation Educator and real industry experts.

• Professional development on how to utilise project-based learning in the classroom 

• Access to an online community of educators and industry professionals to share ideas and provide guidance on turning your class into a living simulation.

• Connections to real industry experts from across the WA resources sector

Multiple classes or teachers from the same school can participate, with CoRE coordinating support, mentoring and coaching for teachers.

Building Skills for the Future Workforce 

The mining and resources sectors are undergoing rapid transformation. Digital systems, automation, remote operations and real-time data are now central to how the industry functions. Students graduating in the coming years will enter a workplace that is significantly more data-driven and technologically advanced than ever before.

As part of the CoRE Learning Model and in partnership with the WA Mining Club, Pit to Pixel students build foundational STEM skills that prepare them for careers in the resources industry and beyond.

These skills include:

• Analytical thinking

• Problem solving

• Design thinking

• Digital literacy

• Communication

• Teamwork

• Resilience

• Confidence in presenting ideas

Whether they pursue engineering, IT, environmental science, trades, project management or something entirely different, these are skills that transfer.

Ready to Bring Pit to Pixel to Your School?

Registrations for Semester 2, 2026, are now open. Once you reach out, you’ll be contacted by the CoRE Learning Foundation to walk you through the next steps.

Registration Deadline:  May 15, 2026

The more schools and teachers who join this collaboration, the more students gain pathways to meaningful careers in the resources industry.

For more information, contact us at info@corefoundation.com