Victorian Tunnelling Centre

The display tunnel boring machine cutter head out the front of the centre

The Victorian Tunnelling Centre (VTC) trains and upskills local workers in underground construction and tunnelling at the Australian-first training facility.

Training up to 5000 students annually, the centre ensures Victorians are leaders at tunnel boring machine operation, innovation and underground construction.

Located at Holmesglen Institute’s Chadstone campus, the Victorian Tunnelling Centre works closely with Big Build projects including:

Training and courses

The VTC offers both certificate and diploma qualifications, as well as safety-based training for working underground.

Training is aimed at all levels, from new entrants through to existing workforce, engineers and managers.

Apprentices, trainees and cadets attending the VTC are a critical part of Victoria’s future workforce for the pipeline of infrastructure projects.

Purpose-built facilities

The VTC training facilities have been purpose-built and include:

a replica mined road tunnel (3 lanes wide)
a replica tunnel boring machine tunnel
a 7.2m-tall tunnel boring machine cutterhead
2 multipurpose engineering workrooms
virtual reality training programs
tunnel shaft and concrete lining spray simulators
working refuge chamber.

Centre facilities showing the replica tunnel boring machines

The centre was co-funded by North East Link, Metro Tunnel Project and West Gate Tunnel Project. It is a world-class training facility that is modelled on the successful Tunnelling and Underground Construction Academy established as part of London’s Crossrail and the Tunnel Training Academy in Kuala Lumpur.

For more information on the VTC please call 1300 639 111 or visit the Holmesglen Victorian Tunnelling Centre webpage.