Hachette Australia joins Media Diversity Australia as inaugural publisher member and launches publishing traineeship.

Hachette Australia and Media Diversity Australia (MDA) are excited to announce a significant partnership, with Hachette becoming the inaugural book publisher member of MDA. This collaboration also marks the launch of the Hachette x MDA Publishing Traineeship, aimed at championing diversity and inclusivity within the publishing industry.

As an MDA member, Hachette will gain access to a suite of valuable services, including the MDA TalentHub to reach a more diverse talent pool; participation in advocacy initiatives and industry roundtables; and customised Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion training and guidance.

Launching this week, the Hachette x MDA Traineeship offers a two-year entry-level position for a candidate sourced through MDA’s TalentHub. The Traineeship includes full-time employment at Hachette, paired with mentorship from senior Hachette staff and external mentors provided by MDA. The role offered will vary every two years, commencing in 2024 with a Publishing Assistant position. This creates a unique opportunity for the selected candidate to work alongside Hachette's acquiring publishers and gain hands-on experience across all aspects of the publishing process.

Louise Stark, CEO Hachette Australia and New Zealand, said: ‘We are immensely proud to join Media Diversity Australia as their inaugural book publishing member and to collaborate on this Traineeship. We believe that we share a common goal – to ensure that our media and publishing industries look and sound more like Australia. The MDA vision for full and equal participation for diverse people at all levels in the media closely reflects the intent of our Changing the Story strategic pillar. This new Traineeship will complement our already well-established Summer Internship program, providing another pathway for anyone looking to enter the publishing industry. We look forward to working closely with MDA and ensuring responsible and inclusive practices in both our recruitment and our business generally.’

Mariam Veiszadeh, CEO Media Diversity Australia, said: ‘We are thrilled to partner with Hachette Australia as they join us as our inaugural book publishing member. This collaboration signifies a pivotal step towards fostering greater diversity, equity and inclusivity within the publishing industry. The Hachette x MDA Publishing Traineeship embodies our commitment to creating equitable opportunities across the broader Journalism sector. We believe this initiative will pave the way for a more representative and inclusive industry, and we look forward to seeing the positive impact it will have on the media and publishing landscape in Australia.’

Applications for the Traineeship are now open. To apply, please submit a cover letter and resume to Media Diversity Australia at https://www.mediadiversityaustralia.org/opportunities/ from today. The application period will close on 6 September 2024. Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted for interviews.

About Hachette Australia

In 1826, 26-year-old Louis Hachette opened Brédif, a Paris bookshop and publishing company near the Sorbonne. His adventures in publishing live on today at the Hachette Livre Group, home to a constellation of prestige publishers for the consumer and education markets around the world. Hachette Australia represents an array of A-list authors on the international list including Stephen King, Nora Roberts, John Grisham, J.K. Rowling, Tom Clancy and Delia Owens. The stellar line-up of authors published by Hachette Australia includes bestselling two-time Golden Dagger winner and ABIA Fiction winner Michael Robotham; bestselling and award-winning ABIA Book of the Year winner Jessica Townsend; Pulitzer Prize winner Geraldine Brooks; Australia’s bestselling non-fiction writer and favourite storyteller Peter FitzSimons; New York Times bestselling novelist Natasha Lester; Miles Franklin shortlisted Michael Mohammed Ahmad; Miles Franklin longlisted Nardi Simpson; and the Lothian Children’s Books author and illustrator and Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award winner Shaun Tan. Hachette Australia proudly supports emerging writers of all ages through The Richell Prize, in association with the Emerging Writers’ Festival; the State Library of Queensland’s black&write! program; and The Hachette Australia Prize for Young Writers in partnership with Express Media.

About Media Diversity Australia

Media Diversity Australia (MDA) is committed to driving systemic change within the Australian media and now with Hachette as our inaugural Publishing member, the publishing landscape. Our mission is to cultivate the sector more to authentically represent Australia's diversity, spanning racial, religious, ability, and gender dimensions. Our mission is to bridge the gap between the Australian population and its representation in the media and across Publishing, fostering a platform where every voice and story is heard.