Our Stories
The passion to pass on skills and expertise to new generations is the mark of a true teacher and is exemplified in one of our longest serving employees, John Hazelwood.
In April 2020, John began his 50th year at Irving Shipbuilding. Over the course of his career, John has played a key role in the apprenticeship program and in wider workforce training. Having gained experience from a variety of roles across Irving Shipbuilding, John passes on knowledge, enthusiasm and pride to all his trainees.
“I have had a fabulous career and couldn’t have picked better,” said John. “With fantastic opportunities over 50 years.”
For John, a great source of satisfaction has been watching others develop and flourish in the business, so that they are able to seek out new opportunities for themselves.
“I will always be grateful for the support and kindness of John Hazelwood,” said Quentin Hornby, one of John’s former apprentices. “It would be impossible to count all the ways that he has helped me in my career journey. I would like to say thank you for being an excellent mentor and for guiding me on the right path.”
When speaking of his five-decade long career, John said 366 of “my children” were hired in that time, demonstrating the personal investment he makes in each of his trainees.
John’s dedication and passion for teaching has had a significant impact on the success of the apprenticeship program and is surely appreciated by those he has taught.
