The team will be one of several TBM crews building the SRL East twin tunnels. It will include around 25 highly skilled roles, such as the TBM operator, gantry and segment crane operators, grouters and support roles.
The team will be led by SRL East Tunnels South construction manager Isolde Piet, who was the first female TBM pilot in the world.
“A project the size and scope of Suburban Rail Loop offers fantastic opportunities for women and it’s wonderful to see so many who want to develop their careers in construction,” said Piet.
Expressions of Interest closed on October 4 and applications are now being assessed. Women selected for the programme will complete comprehensive training and hands-on experience to gain the necessary skills.
With such a strong response, women not selected for the TBM crew roles may also be considered for other suitable roles on the project as part of the assessment process.
SRL East between Cheltenham and Box Hill will deliver six new underground stations at Cheltenham, Clayton, Monash, Glen Waverley, Burwood and Box Hill. Works are under way at every site.
Crews are building TBM launch sites, moving underground services and preparing sites for major works. Construction of SRL East is creating up to 8,000 jobs, with more than 1400 people already working on the project.
Tunnelling will start in 2026 and the all-women crew is expected to be operating by 2027.
Consortium Suburban Connect is delivering the Tunnel South contract to build the 16km of twin tunnels between Cheltenham and Glen Waverley, where the all-women crew will be one of eight crews operating. At least 10% of total labour hours on the Tunnels South works will be worked by women.
