Interactive workshops, site tours and a meet and greet with project teams have provided local students with a closer look at the exciting world of STEM and construction on the Byford Rail Extension Project.

During 2024, the project team engaged with students to inspire their curiosity and showcase possible careers. One of the highlights was a STEM workshop with Armadale Senior High School Year 9 students. The interactive session gave students an inside look at how a major infrastructure project comes to life, covering everything from planning and design to construction.

Students participated in hands-on activities and chatted to project team members about their career paths and the wide range of roles and opportunities available in construction.

Year 8 students from Yule Brook College and the Curtin University Civil Engineering Association also enjoyed a STEM learning opportunity with a site tour and ‘crane-side seats’ to watch a concrete beam for the new Larsen Road pedestrian bridge lifted into place.

Following the tour, students enjoyed lunch and networked with project team members and recent graduates who shared their experiences in the graduate program.  

The project also welcomed its youngest visitors for a guided tour of the new Armadale Station located under the elevated rail bridge. After suiting up in PPE gear and participating in a safety briefing, Kelmscott John Calvin Primary School Year 6 students set off to experience firsthand what life is like on a major project site.

The young explorers watched excavation, earthworks and station building works and asked the project team lots of insightful and hard-hitting questions.

These educational experiences are helping to inspire the next generation of professionals in STEM and generating interest in the project. We look forward to continuing to engage with local schools to showcase the many exciting career opportunities in these fields.