Year 12 VET Engineering students were focussed on careers this afternoon when they met—via Zoom—with General Manager of Hofmann Bendigo, David Hubbert.
The students were given a presentation that introduced them to the family-owned engineering company that undertakes some of the biggest metal fabrication projects in the world. Hofmann Bendigo has an ongoing association with the college, having employed BSSC graduates as apprentices over many years.
Today’s session, organised by Careers & Pathways Advisor, Trish White, and VET Engineering teacher, Stuart Hamilton, gave students the opportunity to meet Mr Hubbert and Hofmann Office Manager, Virginia Peters, and ask questions about what an apprenticeship at Hofmann has to offer.
“The apprentices who have done well in the past have been passionate about learning and proud of what they’ve made,” Mr Hubbert said. “It’s a good lifestyle… apprentices get paid to learn from skilled, qualified trades people, and work with state-of-the-art engineering equipment, including welding robots.”
Students also took a virtual tour of the workshop floor to see the equipment in use, currently producing bogies for Melbourne Metro trains.
“The company has a passion for recruitment, training and development,” Mr Hubbert said. “An apprenticeship doesn’t mean spending the rest of your life working in a ‘dingy factory’. It can lead to all kinds of opportunities, across management, quality control, procurement or project management.
“Many of our apprentices have gone on to travel overseas to work on Hofmann projects internationally, or moved interstate to work at other sites.”
The college and Hofmann Bendigo are still hopeful that BSSC Engineering students will be able to access work placement before apprenticeship applications close in September.
A huge thank you to Hofmann management for their generosity and for always inspiring our students.
