Recognised for award-winning focus on innovative apprentice training and employee recruitment.  

Komatsu’s dedication to recruiting and training the best employees and apprentices has seen it win both national and global recognition.

The industry leader in mining, construction and earthmoving was named 2022’s NSW Large Employer of the Year, for their unrivalled companywide Learning and Development programs, and in the same week for the second consecutive year, they were also named a global leader in employee recruitment, placing in the top three of the Global Talent Board’s 2022 APAC Candidate Experience (CandE) Awards.

“Being recognised as the Large Employer of the Year for 2022 is a proud achievement. It highlights the great efforts we go to as an organisation to develop our people to be industry leaders, equipped to tackle the future challenges facing our industry,” said Komatsu Australia Managing Director & CEO, Sean Taylor.  

Komatsu’s National Technical Capability Manager, Matthew Tosolini was on hand to receive the award and commented, “We view our training programs as more than just education programs. We invest in our people as long-term team members for the success of our business and industry.”

Komatsu’s innovative Apprentice Development System (ADS) program is at the centre of the successful submission. It has seen more than 600 apprentices and trainees participate in a holistic program that extends beyond the ‘traditional’ vocational education training framework.

“In 2009 we ran our first pilot of our ADS program designed around our commitment to train, develop and engage apprentices nationally, despite the fluctuations brought on by industry peaks and troughs. The first intake of the new program completed their qualifications in 2013 and many of them continue with the business today,” Tosolini explained.

As part of this new approach, Komatsu wanted to equip apprentices and trainees with important life skills. These included mental health awareness, public speaking, road safety and fatigue management, drug and alcohol awareness and a variety of business skillsets.

Through partnerships with leading expert providers such as Toastmasters, STEMPunks, NextWorld and local police agencies, Komatsu’s ADS has set a new national standard for the way the industry trains its apprentices and trainees.

“We have received feedback that this program has become a benchmark for training nationwide. It has produced measurable results and a higher standard of learning outcomes.

After the apprentices have finished their qualifications and are employed as skilled technicians, their training continues to remain a focus of the Komatsu Training Academy and Technical Capability Team.

“Our Technical Capability Team track their training against courses they attend with ongoing workplace-based assessments to make sure that they have retained the knowledge and are competent.

“We have designed a professional development program that is adult-learning centric. It comprises 70 per cent job experience, 20 per cent practical assessment and 10 per cent classroom-based learning,” Tosolini said.

Another point of difference is the way Komatsu incorporates technology into their training. Engaging third-party virtual reality specialists, NextWorld, helps them educate apprentices and trainees on potential workplace risks and the implications if workplace safety practices aren’t followed.

“Additions like this to our program allows us to create simulated events that cannot be reproduced safely in a real-life environment. Giving trainees these virtual experiences allow us to reinforce our safety principles whilst creating valuable and memorable reinforcement of safety principles.”

Adding to the success are the rigorous recruitment methods to enable better hiring decisions, including targeting various age groups and life experience diversity.

In recognition Komatsu has again been awarded as a global leader in employee recruitment in the Global Talent Board’s 2022 APAC Candidate Experience (CandE) Awards.

“It has never been a more competitive landscape for trying to attract the best employees, and we take pride in making sure that each and every candidate, across the diverse roles we have on offer, are given a really great Komatsu brand and candidate experience,” says Taylor. 

The US-based Talent Board, which has been running its Candidate Experience Awards (CandE Awards) for the past 10 years, is a non-profit research organisation focused on the elevation and promotion of a quality candidate experience against industry benchmarks that highlight accountability, fairness and business impact. The Talent Board and its CandE Awards are widely recognised globally as the pre-eminent organisation for candidate experience.

“Ultimately, sitting behind these great achievements are the wonderful staff who live our culture and make up our brand DNA,” says Taylor. “These awards are a great testament to the hard work and dedication of our passionate employees who deliver on the Komatsu brand promise of creating value together.”