How Hexagon rapidly recruited a skilled team for a world-first mining project

What do you do when you need to build a skilled project team for roles that don’t exist anywhere else? This was the challenge for technology company, Hexagon, when they partnered with Mineral Resources (MinRes) to roll out a deployment team for the world’s first autonomous road train system at the Onslow Iron project.

There’s already a shortage of skilled technical professionals in mining and the competition for talent is fierce. To make things more difficult for Hexagon, the only people with relevant autonomous vehicle expertise were already employed by the biggest

Tier 1 mining companies and competing on salary wasn’t an option. So, Hexagon partnered with Globe 24-7 to navigate these hurdles, recruit a skilled team, and embed robust recruitment processes for the long term.

Read the case study to find out how they did it.

The challenge: Unique roles for a world-first project

To execute this project, Hexagon intended to use cutting-edge technology to develop the first system of its kind in the world.

They planned to combine sensor, software and autonomous technologies to enable 120 triple trailer road trains to carry 330 tonnes of iron ore across 150 kilometres of private haul road. A first for the mining industry, the autonomy project created a set of entirely new job roles.

These roles, such as ‘Autonomous Onboard Engineer’, required the right mix of technical expertise and transferable skills, because no talent pool existed that exactly matched the experience required to do the job.

They knew they needed to recruit the right people fast. People who could learn quickly and complete the project on a tight deadline.

That’s when they invited Globe 24-7 to share our advice on the best way to set up a talent acquisition process so they could hit their recruitment goals and deliver the project on time.

Our recommendations

Hexagon’s project team knew they needed to develop position descriptions for more than 40 job titles including autonomous vehicle controllers, technicians, supervisors and engineers.

We completed a full talent acquisition review of the project then recommended salary benchmarking and thorough market research for these unique roles before they began any talent acquisition campaigns.

It was important to understand the salary market to make the compensation packages competitive enough without exceeding budget constraints and to look at other ways to attract the best people for the job.

Our three recommendations were:

1. Focus on cultural fit and transferable skills

With no existing workforce experienced in road train systems, their recruitment strategy needed to emphasise cultural fit and transferable skills.

The RPO team and the hiring managers identified essential qualifications and experiences while also prioritising traits like adaptability, problem-solving, and passion for learning new things.

For instance, candidates with STEM backgrounds were recruited into a two-year graduate program, rotating through various roles to develop the specialised skills required for autonomous control systems.

2. An RPO approach

We recommended a Recruitment Process Outsourcing (RPO) model for Hexagon because it would allow them to embed an experienced recruitment team quickly within the business. This embedded team could set up talent acquisition processes straight away without distraction and this decision was pivotal to delivering early success.

“We embedded ourselves in the team and basically became Hexagon team members,” says Mark Mullins, Senior Recruitment Advisor at Globe 24-7. “Now, they don’t see us as an external team because we’re so part of the organisation.”

Weekly meetings with the project manager ensures alignment and allows for rapid adjustments to the recruitment strategy. This collaborative approach extends beyond hiring—we contribute to HR functions like organising training, assessments, and insurance for new hires.

“My job is always just to make life easier for people. To get rid of the headache, hire someone, lighten the load,” he explains.

Unlike traditional agencies that rely on standard job descriptions and Seek ads, our RPO model provides long-term value by building Hexagon’s internal talent pipeline. This approach not only reduces costs compared to outsourcing but also ensures

Hexagon retains control over its recruitment process and database for future projects.

3. Attract top talent without market-leading salaries

To avoid competing with the Tier 1 miners on salary, we suggested they shift their recruitment strategy. What did this entail? Instead of bidding for scarce talent, focus on offering a unique value proposition: the opportunity to work on a world-first project.

“It’s really about explaining what the project is like. I say to them that it’s an opportunity to get invaluable experience, to just get in there, be part of a world-first project, and gain skills that you’re not going to get anywhere else,” says Mark.

It’s attracted ambitious professionals eager to contribute to a landmark mining technology project. By targeting “hungry and smart” candidates with a strong cultural fit, Hexagon successfully differentiated itself in a competitive market.

In addition to reviewing resumes that come in, and screening candidates, the RPO team also proactively connects with people. “We’re not just putting job ads up and hoping good people will come to us,” explains Mark. “We’re reaching out to people directly who have the right skills and saying ‘Hey, here’s a job we have at the moment. Do you want to have a chat?’”

Results and ongoing success

To date, Hexagon has successfully hired 30 of the approximately 40 roles needed for the project, including engineers, technicians, supervisors, and autonomous vehicle controllers. Recruitment efforts continue for the remaining positions, with a focus on maintaining the project’s momentum as it moves into the next phase.

Hexagon’s decision to use an RPO approach highlights the value of an embedded recruitment model for complex, high-stakes projects. By prioritising innovation, collaboration, and cultural fit over conventional salary competition, Hexagon has laid the groundwork for what is a transformative mining automation project.