What job lets you travel the world like a rock star or build life-sized Lego that even Brickman would envy? The (unexpected) answer - engineering! 

And what better way to check out if this is the right career for you than to visit one of METRONET’s most impressive engineering feats – the new Alkimos Station site at the Yanchep Rail Extension project.

Twenty high school students from the Indigenous Australian Engineering School (IAES) did just this and talked to project engineers about the perks of engineering like working overseas and delivering complex and exciting projects like the Alkimos Station (aka ‘real-life Lego’). 

Students were dwarfed by the station’s huge retaining walls they saw at progressive stages of construction and were wowed with technology and 3D plans showing how the walls are built and the role they play in the station’s overall design.

Problem-solving skills were also on the agenda with engineers explaining the problems and solutions they’ve come up with throughout the project like how to lay strong foundations, safely shift tonnes of earth and rework complex timetables to manage the many trades and phases of the project.

So, who wants to be an engineer? We’re hoping these 20 IAES students do. And that they’ll find their way back to METRONET projects as qualified engineers thanks to our collaboration with IAES, which encourages Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students to explore different engineering career pathways through site visits like this.

METRONET’s partnership with IAES links to the Gnarla Biddi Strategy and goal of supporting employment of Noongar and other Aboriginal people through direct opportunities and career development; and Sustainability Strategy aligned with community engagement and encouraging students into STEM careers.

For more about the Alkimos Station and the Yanchep Rail Extension, visit our project page here.