It takes a breadth of experience and diversity to design and build the biggest infrastructure project Victoria’s ever seen – and we’d like to introduce you to some of the incredibly talented women behind Suburban Rail Loop.
The project isn’t just supporting up to 24,000 jobs across the economy, SRL is creating more training and job opportunities for women in the industry.
‘In high school I was told engineering wasn’t a woman’s job and it would be very difficult for me to get a job, so I actually enjoyed the challenge and wanted to prove them wrong,’ says Vicki Foreman, Ground Penetration Permit Coordinator.
‘If you're up for a challenge, the industry is very rewarding,’ says Louise Murphy, Civil and Structures Lead. ‘There's definitely room for the industry to grow and the more women we have, the better the field will be.’
To mark International Women in Engineering Day, the team have shared some advice for women looking for a career in construction and infrastructure.
‘Don’t forget to ask for guidance. There will always be people around who can give you advice – you just have to seek them out,’ says Amelia Barnes, Station Design Coordinator.
‘Back yourself and be prepared to step out of your comfort zone. What's the worst that can happen?’ says Fleur Nicholas, Rail Systems Design Manager.
Construction on SRL East between Cheltenham and Box Hill, kicked off in June 2022 starting a massive program of initial and early works which will create up to 800 local jobs. Around 14% of total hours worked during this first phase of construction will be completed by Victorian apprentices, trainees or cadets, with opportunities for women, Aboriginal and disadvantaged Victorians.
SRL will create a long-term pipeline of work, generating thousands of local job opportunities and helping train the next generation of skilled workers.
Check out available opportunities