Zach Haworth, Jaidan Smolders, Connor Brown and Jackson Dunbar are employed through MIGAS and join 12 other youngsters already on site at the Muswellbrook facility.

Haworth and Smolders are pursuing electrical trade careers while Brown and Dunbar eye off mechanical professions.

Bengalla has a long history of developing local talent through their apprenticeship program with some apprentices going on to receive awards and furthering their career at the mine. 

“The initiative offers apprentices the opportunity to work in a safe environment with experienced tradespeople across a broad range of electrical and plant mechanic functions,” Bengalla chief executive officer Cam Halfpenny said.

“We provide ongoing coaching, mentoring and support from both MIGAS and Bengalla as the apprentices work to obtain a nationally recognised qualification.”

Jaidan Smolders said he was excited to start his career as an electrician at Bengalla.

“I chose to apply at the mine site because of the good things I’d heard about the apprenticeship program and the great culture at the mine,” he added. 

Jackson Dunbar said he was “jumping around” with his hands in the air when he received the news that he had received the mechanical apprenticeship at Bengalla. 

Growing up in Muswellbrook, he explained he’d always seen the Bengalla name around the town. 

“When I asked around about what it was like to work at Bengalla, I heard nothing but good things,” Dunbar said.

The apprentices will spend three months at Bengalla before beginning a six-month study period at Hunter Institute Muswellbrook Mining Skills Centre in early 2019.