Victoria’s biggest ever infrastructure project Suburban Rail Loop (SRL) is helping change the face of our construction and engineering industries.
Currently in Australia, females make up just 16% of engineering graduates and 13% of the engineering workforce.
SRL will create a long-term pipeline of work, supporting up to 24,000 local jobs and helping train the next generation of skilled workers – with more training and job opportunities for women in science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM).
More than 40% of Suburban Rail Loop Authority (SRLA) employees are women, including 50% in senior management roles, and we are actively recruiting women into graduate programs and supporting experienced women to thrive through development and leadership programs.
We’re celebrating 2 inspiring young women launching their careers on this city-shaping infrastructure project.
Construction of 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 early local jobs. At least 14% of total hours during this phase of construction will be worked by apprentices, trainees or cadets, with opportunities for women, Indigenous and disadvantaged Victorians.
Kate is an intern with the SRL environment team with Managing Contractor Laing O’Rourke and will complete her Environmental Engineering degree at Monash University next year.
As a student, Kate is keenly aware of the benefits SRL will bring to future students at her campus.
'Tens of thousands of students currently travel to campus in cars, trawling for carparks. Once the SRL station at Monash is open, it’s going to make such an improvement to travel time and accessibility, but will also reduce the damaging environmental impacts of so many students driving their cars.’
In choosing her career, Kate knew she was heading into a male-dominated sector.
'On day one at uni, I became immediately conscious that I was in the minority. I’m not sure of the actual stats, but it feels like a 10 to 1 ratio when it comes to men to women. You do feel like you stick out a bit,' she said.
Kate has taken classes in geology, groundwater analysis, air quality monitoring, recycling, and building sustainability.
‘These are the subjects that interest me, so yep, of course I’m sticking with them.'
When joining the intern program, Kate admits to feeling apprehensive about her first day.
'I mentally prepared myself to meet a team of stereotypical ‘blokey’ blokes, but when I first arrived, I was taken aback by how many women there are in the office.’
Asked about her aspiration for women in the infrastructure industry, Kate stresses the importance of women continuing to be actively welcomed.
Madison Carty is in her fourth year of Civil Engineering at RMIT University and she is an intern in Laing O’Rourke’s SRL team.
Madison is getting hands-on experience in the SRL delivery team, and she works closely with associate teams managing the project’s utilities, traffic management and environment.
'Being here helps me to understand the scale of a project like SRL – it’s big and there’s so much to be done to make it happen.
'Seeing other women as engineers and leaders has made a real impact on me. My own manager is female.
'A welcoming environment is so important. We’ve certainly got that here, and that includes the male engineers I’m working with.’
At high school, Madison enjoyed studying maths and science, as well as design subjects and IT. In her final year, she became STEM Captain.
'It was a great opportunity to encourage more of my fellow students to try those subjects. I’ve found that engineering is a combination of all the areas that I enjoyed at school.'