By Matthew Sims
Eight days of hard work has come to an end for 22 young women in Maidstone as part of construction of a scaled down replica of a steel cantilever bridge.
As part of the Constructionarium Australia All Female Build 2022 program, Constructionarium Australia. Major Road Projects Victoria, Level Crossing Removal Project, Rail Projects Victoria, Seymour Whyte, Aurecon and SMEC joined forces to deliver the eight-day training program from Wednesday, August 31 to Friday, September 9.
With a number of the participants only recently launching their careers in civil construction, the program aimed to develop the skills they needed to manage the build from start to finish, such as learning to identify risks and developing strategies to achieve the desired finished product.
Following three days of education from leading infrastructure industry experts, the women embarked on the intensive five-day bridge build of a 1:20 scaled down version of a steel cantilever bridge – spanning 25 metres in length, 3.7 metres in height and using 5 tonnes of steel.
All of the participants have been working in client, designer and constructor roles across Major Road Projects Victoria, Level Crossing Removal Project and Rail Projects Victoria projects across the state.
Transport Infrastructure Minister Jacinta Allan said the program would upskill the newest generation of female engineers and construction professionals.
“We’re addressing the skills shortage and providing more opportunity for women across the infrastructure industry by actively building the careers of the emerging construction professionals that will shape our state’s infrastructure into the future,” she said.
Constructionarium Australia board member Tanya Barmby said the program was an “exceptional opportunity” for young professionals to develop their project development, leadership and teamwork skills.
Major Road Projects Victoria chief executive Allen Garner said the program provided the participants with a hands-on training environment complete with the tools they would need to build their career opportunities into the future.
