Meet the pair who made the Hastings Deering class of 2021

The diesel fitting duo have landed their dream apprenticeship with one of the world’s leading heavy machinery manufacturers.

DYNAMIC DUO: Two young Toowoomba men have pipped over 2600 applicants to the post for an incredible opportunity with machinery giant Hastings Deering. Brandon Steger (left) from Westbrook and Highfield's Patrick Wells have joined 38 others from across Queensland and the Northern Territory as part of Hastings Deering's 2021 apprentice intake, beating over 2600 applicants for the role.

Two Toowoomba teenagers have managed to score a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity with one of largest machinery dealers in the world.
When Brandon Steger decided to follow in his father’s footstep to become a diesel fitter, little did he know he would be up against nearly 3000 applicants for his dream apprenticeship opportunity with Hastings Deering, the official Caterpillar machinery equipment supplier in Queensland, Northern Territory, Papua New Guinea, the Solomon Islands and New Caledonia.

Mr Steger, 18 from Westbrook, rolled up his sleeves, along with Highfield’s Patrick Wells, 18 to join 38 others from across Queensland and the Northern Territory for induction training at the machinery giant’s Brisbane headquarters this week before returning to their respective workshops.

This year Hastings Deering was swamped with a record 2695 applications, 1000 in the first week alone, and with only 40 apprentice positions available competition was fierce.

Mr Steger and Mr Wells credit their previous work experience with the company at the Toowoomba facility to helping their applications gets across the line.

“My dad is a diesel fitter and I could never have seen myself working in an office,” Mr Steger said.

“Work experience really helped me make up my mind.”

Mr Wells said work experience proved to him Hastings Deering was the place he wanted to be.

“I was able to get work as a trade’s assistant and a delivery driver while I applied and waited to see if I was selected,” he said.

Hastings Deering chief operating officer Mark Scott said apprenticeships continued to be highly sought after with the number of 2021 applications up 30 per cent on 2020 which was also a record year, with 26 per cent increase on the intake applications for 2019.

Across its operations in Queensland and the Northern Territory, Hastings Deering is currently training more than 200 apprentices.

Mr Scott said the majority of applications were for diesel fitter and auto electrician apprenticeships.

“The diesel fitter apprenticeship is clearly the applicant’s preferred trade across all our locations,” he said.

“Our focus was again to target a diverse range of people for our apprenticeship program

which has been showing significant success.

“The high number of applications is also a reflection of our commitment to promoting STEM by actively partnering with the Queensland Resources Council and their Queensland Minerals and Energy Academy program which reaches 80 affiliated schools from as far north as Mount Isa and Townsville, to Central Queensland and the Coalfields as well as Brisbane in the South East.”