Building Our Own Skills Pipeline.
At NEACH, we’ve always believed that the future of our business depends on the people we invest in today. Real skills are built slowly, through guidance, repetition, and the kind of real responsibility that turns a young person into a capable trade sperson.
Right now, we have five apprentices building their careers with us, and we’ll be expanding our intake again in 2026. Watching these young fabricators, welders, and future leaders come through the workshop is one of the most grounding parts of leadership. You see a pathway forming, not just for them, but for the wider community as well. When a business like ours grows local talent, the impact moves far beyond our four walls. It strengthens families, keeps skills in the region, and contributes to the long-term capability of Queensland’s manufacturing industry.
One of those apprentices is Alex. He came to NEACH straight out of school and is now hands-on in delivering major structural steel projects across the state. His progress reflects exactly what happens when a young person is given proper training, consistent expectations, and the opportunity to contribute to meaningful work. Alex is learning the craft the right way, through real project experience, not just classroom theory, and with a team behind him that genuinely wants to see him succeed.
This is intentional. At NEACH, apprentices aren’t on the sidelines. We build training hours into every project so they’re learning where it matters most, in the workshop, on the job, and alongside experienced tradespeople. It’s how they gain confidence, understand compliance and safety from day one, and grow into the kind of fabricators our industry actually needs.
And the benefits don’t stop at the workshop door. Every dollar spent with a local business like NEACH continues cycling through the community, supporting other local suppliers, creating stable employment, and helping shape long-term career pathways for young Queenslanders. When local capability grows, everyone wins.
As Queensland’s infrastructure and engineering sectors expand, the demand for skilled trades will only increase. That’s why we’re committed to growing our program in 2026 and beyond. We want more young people to have access to these opportunities, not just for the sake of our business, but because a strong, local manufacturing sector depends on it.
We’re proud of our apprentices. We’re proud of the careers they’re building. And we’re proud that NEACH can play a role in developing the next generation of Queensland’s structural steel workforce.
Proud to invest in people. Proud to invest in our community.
