RISE Mentors & Mentees Visits Australia’s First Tunnelling Infrastructure Academy

Last month, participants of the Infrastructure Sustainability Council’s RISE mentoring program and local ISAPs were invited to Sydney Metro’sTunnelling Infrastructure Academy (TIA) at Clyde – an Australian–first, dedicated tunnel training hub, run by Gamuda as part of the Sydney Metro West – Western Tunnelling Package.

From exploring the spoil shed and conveyor systems to engaging with emerging digital technologies, attendees walked away with invaluable insights into how innovation and capability development are transforming our industry.

This state-of-the-art facility tackles Australia’s construction skills shortage with six practical training zones, featuring:

Since its launch, over 670 individuals have enrolled in the tunnelling pre-employment program, embedded within accredited units of competency.

A highlight of the tour was exploring the inner workings of the autonomous and AIassisted TBMs, deployed for the Sydney Metro West Western Tunnelling Package.

These machines use Gamuda’s proprietary AI software to automate steering, thrust, and slurry systems—delivering 8% energy savings over manual TBMs, reducing wear and downtime. The TIA itself is powered by a 240 kWp mobile solar farm—making it one of the largest solar installations on a Sydney Metro site.

Further cementing its pioneering credentials, the Sydney Metro West – Western Tunnelling Package received a “Leading” Infrastructure Sustainability (IS) Rating from the Infrastructure Sustainability Council of Australia, and won the Excellence in Social Outcomes award for its TIA initiative.

A massive thank you to Gamuda for their ongoing support of the RISE mentoring program and for opening the doors to such an incredible learning experience. If you’re interested in becoming part of the RISE Mentoring Program in 2026, you can fill out this EOI and you will be notified when applications open.