With applications for the 2026 HVIA Industry Awards now officially open, it is the perfect time to celebrate last year’s exceptional winners. And a major highlight from 2025 was Kate Evans from Cummins, who took home the Workforce Champion Award, proudly sponsored by Truckline.
As Global Service Enablement Consultant at Cummins, Kate Evans has helped shape inclusive, future-focused workforce development across the heavy vehicle industry. Her work spans apprentice program strategy, capability training, school and community outreach, and industry engagement—turning workforce development from a business priority into a broader industry movement.
In her previous role as APAC Training Manager, Kate supported Cummins’ national partnerships with Technical Education for Communities (TEC), HVIA, Transport Women Australia, Trades Women Australia, AUSMASA, EdConnect and other community partners. Through these relationships, she strengthened apprentice pathways, supported faster progression, improved workshop readiness and expanded opportunities for underrepresented groups, including women and disadvantaged youth.
HVIA sat down with Kate, six months on, to learn more about her career at Cummins and the long-term work behind Cummins reaching 30 per cent female representation across a cohort of approximately 230 apprentices in early 2025. Kate explained that the result did not happen overnight. It was built over more than a decade through sustained leadership commitment, inclusive recruitment, apprentice support networks, mentoring, community partnerships and practical training pathways.
Cummins’ approach has focused on both attraction and retention: creating safe, respectful workplaces; addressing unacceptable behaviour quickly; supporting equal treatment; and ensuring young people can enter the workplace with confidence. Over time, this has helped make it increasingly normal to see women working as technicians, supervisors and leaders across Cummins branches, including women with long-standing careers in the business.
Kate herself will reach her 15-year work anniversary with Cummins later this year. An electrician by trade, she previously worked in the UK oil industry on high-voltage power generation equipment. That practical background has helped her connect with technical teams, understand workshop culture and design programs that are relevant to real service environments.
A whole-of-business approach has been central to Cummins’ diversity and workforce strategy. Leaders, marketing teams, customers, apprentices, mentors and external partners have all contributed. Cummins established apprentice networks internally and externally, partnered with Transport Women Australia and Trades Women Australia, and used industry events, conferences and campaigns to position heavy vehicle careers as accessible, meaningful and achievable.
Career and school engagement has also played an important role. Kate helped establish the TEC program in Australia, adapting Cummins’ global model to local needs and building partnerships across schools, industry organisations and government departments. The program gave students access to Certificate II automotive pathways, work placements, industry exposure and employability skills – helping address technical skills shortages while opening doors for young people who may not otherwise have seen a future in the sector.
That commitment extends into broader community partnerships. Cummins has worked with organisations such as Ardoch, EdConnect, LLEN, The Industry School, Good Shepherd and BUSY at Work to promote STEM engagement, school-to-work pathways and inclusive access to technical careers. Kate has also supported initiatives such as Numeracy Buddies and female-focused career events, including a successful one-day event with Kenworth Trucks at Cummins’ Laverton branch.
The impact has been tangible. Cummins apprentices have consistently reached finalist status in HVIA and ATA awards, while the Capability Training Pilot launched in 2023 helped apprentices reach competency milestones three to five months ahead of schedule. The strength of that pilot also contributed to recognition through the Cummins Global Impact Awards for employee development in 2024.
Kate’s dream is to fit out a shipping container on a truck with industry-relevant equipment and take it to career events, giving young people hands-on activities that showcase the heavy vehicle industry. It reflects the same practical, collaborative and inclusive approach that has defined her workforce development work: making career pathways visible, accessible and inspiring for the next generation.
Do you know a champion in industry like Kate? Nominate them now for the HVIA National Awards for 2026.