Year 10 Industry Immersion - All Aboard at South Dynon!

On Friday 1st August, our Year 10 students swapped the classroom for steel-toed boots and high-vis vests, visiting the South Dynon Train Maintenance Facility being upgraded as part of Victoria's Big Build. This opportunity was made possible through a partnership with Laing O’Rourke, one of Australia’s leading construction companies.

The visit began with an introduction from the Project Director and Project Lead who outlined the scope and significance of the upgrade project, as well as other major rail network improvements, including the level crossing removals at Mooroolbark, Croydon, and Ringwood East train stations. Presentations also included inspiring stories from team members who entered the industry via various journeys, including social inclusion programs, highlighting diverse pathways into construction careers.

Students also participated in a ‘pre-start’ briefing, the same type of safety and project planning meeting conducted daily for the full-time crews at 7:00am. This gave students a genuine feel for professional site culture and the importance of safety in large-scale projects.

A highlight was the site tour, where students got up close to the South Dynon Train Maintenance Facility and learned about the many different career paths in civil construction, from hands-on trades to engineering, project management, design, and safety roles.

The visit opened students’ eyes to the exciting possibilities in the construction industry and showed that there’s more than one pathway to get there. A huge thank you to the Big Build project team and Laing O’Rourke for welcoming us and inspiring our future workforce!