With a worldwide pandemic occurring in 2020, Hastings Deering leveraged the strength of its training culture to minimise the impact on staff.

In 2020, Hastings Deering employed 75 first-year apprentices, which is one of the largest intakes in the country. Apprentice diesel fitters, auto electricians and fabricators make up five per cent of their total workforce. Many of the apprentices are female, Indigenous or mature age and in 2020, 96 per cent of final year apprentices were offered ongoing roles.

The company provides unique training opportunities including work experience for school students and School-based Apprenticeships. They also provide traineeships in warehousing, laboratory operations and administration. Hastings Deering offers a graduate program in finance, business, IT, human resources and engineering.

With learning centres in Brisbane, Port Moresby and Christchurch, Hastings Deering remains one of Australia’s largest employers/trainers of apprentice diesel fitters.