A childhood in south-west Sydney tinkering with cars and motorbikes after school and on weekends made a career in the machinery industry the perfect fit for Hayden Cox, the 2026 John Deere Australian Construction & Forestry Service Technician of the Year.
Hayden has been working on John Deere machinery for more than four years, joining Hutcheon & Pearce Sydney in Penrith in 2025 as a field service diagnostic technician, after completing his apprenticeship as a mobile plant technician.
He completed a Certificate II in automotive air-conditioning and a Certificate III in automotive electrical while working on a range of construction and forestry equipment for customers throughout NSW.
Since joining Hutcheon & Pearce, Hayden has expanded his skills to include agriculture and turf machinery.
"It's been good to get my head around a range of machinery and see a different side to equipment that I would have walked past before, and I've learnt a lot about these industries," Hayden said.
Most of all he loves contributing to the bigger picture by playing his role in supporting community and industry development.
"I'm dealing with people who are building the new Western Sydney International Airport as well as people building housing estates, and it's cool to be a part of that," he said.
Hutcheon & Pearce Service Manager, Shaun Harrington, nominated Hayden for his excellent diagnostic ability, consistently high standard of workmanship and calm, methodical approach to problem solving.
"Hayden is a skilled and knowledgeable technician and it's his approach that has earned him the trust of customers, many of whom specifically request him. He takes the time to clearly explain repairs and machine operation so that customers feel confident and well supported," Shaun said.
Hayden said knowing his skills contribute directly to the productivity and success of the construction industry is a strong motivator.
"Downtime has a direct impact on their operations. I take pride in delivering reliable, timely repairs and building strong customer relationships by ensuring equipment is safe and performing at its best."