Buk bilong Pikinini students explore the big machines at Hastings Deering
Port Moresby – Buk bilong Pikinini (BbP) students were buzzing with excitement this morning as they visited the Hastings Deering yard in Hohola – an excursion inspired by their recent study of BbP’s published reader ‘When I Grow Up I Want to be a Heavy Equipment Operator reader, which features Hastings Deering.
BbP is celebrating Book Week this week, August 11th – 15th, with five book launches for our new When I Grow Up (WIGU) reader titles – bringing the total number of WIGU readers to 30. We are also thrilled to have exciting excursions to donors’ facilities, giving children real-life experiences connected to the stories they read. We greatly appreciate the support of our donors such as Hastings Deering for making such amazing excursions possible for our students.
Welcomed by Hastings Deering, Pacific Islands Executive Manager, Mr. John Hendry, and the Hasting Deering team, the children were kitted out with safety vests, work belts, and hats before setting off on their tour.
The students rotated through a series of engaging activities, including operating a CAT simulator, learning to use a control board, and touring the warehouse to see how incoming parts orders are processed. They also visited the workshop for Diesel Fitters and Diesel Fitting Engineers, where they discovered the impressive array of tools used on the job – some almost as big as the children themselves!
The activities at each station were supported by the amazing Hastings Deering teams of engineers and apprentices, who patiently guided the children through what each station’s activity was about.
One of the highlights was seeing the massive CAT Wheel Loader 993K used at the Lihir mine currently undergoing repairs in the workshop. The tyres of this Wheel Loader weigh more than 5 tonnes and has the capacity to lift very heavy loads onto trucks. The excursion ended with a visit on the enormous machine for a closer look.
To top off the day, the children were treated to refreshments and cake – a thoughtful gesture that was met with big smiles and even bigger appetites.
Buk bilong Pikinini extends its heartfelt thanks to the Hastings Deering team for hosting such an engaging, educational, and memorable Book Week experience, and to Black Swan International for providing vehicle support for the students from the Hagara Library Learning Centre.
