MacKellar's HR team has developed our own Apprenticeship Program, focused on creating a point of difference for our apprentices and our business.

Introducing the MacKellar Apprenticeship Program

Over the last decade, the MacKellar HR team have noticed an increasing shortage of trades people in our sector. We've also noticed a lack of skilled trades people to carry out our work safely and efficiently, but that didn't stop us.

Recently, our proactive team have embarked on a mission to create MacKellar's very our own Apprenticeship Program, focused on creating a point of difference for our apprentices and our business.

It's been a long journey which involved collaboration between all our project sites and Hastings Deering, but we have now created a pathway for our apprentices to receive skills and experience during their 4 years training.

This is something that isn't found anywhere else in the industry and includes a number of unique offerings including:

• Hastings Training – This training offers theory and practical skills on machines and systems relevant to MacKellar's fleet of equipment. This training is delivered in a fit for purpose facility in Brisbane by the CAT dealer and follows the AUR framework. It also exposes the apprentices to mechanical training, auto electrical, welding and safety.
• Mackellar Inhouse Training – This is practical training and experience at our facility in Blackwater, enabling apprentices to apply their theory on our entire fleet as it rolls through the facility for overhauls.
• Onsite Training – Apprentices are sent to our project sites for periods of time to experience shift work, mining production environment, and how site workshops function to service the needs of an operational mine site.
• Offsite Training – This opportunity gives our apprentices the skills to follow specific components that are sent to specialised rebuild facilities. They experience the overhaul from start to finish in another environment and learn from industry experts.
• 4th Year Training – In a first for our industry, our apprentices are offered a fourth year of training (a standard apprenticeship has only 3 years of formal training). This gives our apprentices the opportunity to obtain a dual trade or receive specialised training in an area of interest.

The overall goal of this customised program is to create well rounded, experienced and capable individuals who can tackle any challenge they come across in this diverse environment.

Below you'll find a photo of our initial intake of 20 apprentices taken earlier this year. We'll be having a second intake soon so our new apprentices are ready to begin their training in 2021.

We can't wait to meet our new apprentices!