New training at the Victorian Tunnelling Centre (VTC) has started preparing North East Link workers for major tunnelling construction, with simulated training highlighting the importance of staying safe below ground.
With tunnelling complete on Melbourne’s Metro Tunnel and nearing completion on the West Gate Tunnel Project, attention is shifting to the next big tunnel – the North East Link.
Thousands of workers are needed to build the North East Link Tunnels from Watsonia to Bulleen and the VTC at Holmesglen Institute in Chadstone is playing a key role in getting them ready to build the 6.5km tunnels – the state’s longest road tunnels.
The centre offers a mix of virtual reality simulations and experiences to reflect tunnelling works as well as other practical training. It also includes life-sized replicas of mined and bored tunnels and a TBM cutterhead.
The facility is the only one of its kind in Australia and is training the large number of tunnelling workers needed in Victoria – with North East Link, Metro Tunnel, West Gate Tunnel and Suburban Rail Loop East projects expected to create around 31,000 construction jobs combined. On North East Link alone there will be 10,000 local jobs over the life of the project.
More than 4,200 North East Link workers, including tunnelling specialists and construction workers, have already completed the safety training.
On the project, crews are now building the TBM launch box, in preparation for the arrival of the TBMs later this year.
North East Link’s TBMs will be among the biggest in the southern hemisphere at 90m long, 15.6m in diameter and weigh around 4,000 tonnes.
