Constructing Careers
Coinciding with National Skills Week, Year 9 students received a sneak peek at Victoria Cross Station and inspiration from the women helping build it.
Opening in 2024, Sydney Metro’s Victoria Cross Station will be located on Wenona's doorstep, making travelling to the School a breeze.
A group of Year 9 STEM Elective and Science 1 students went underground last week for a rare, personal tour of the future station concourse and platforms. They also met the key people involved and learned about the increasing number of interesting construction job opportunities available for women.
"I took away inspiration and value, but also respect for the people in charge - it was a lot larger and more complicated than I had expected", said Sienna (Year 9).
The students' visit was facilitated by alumna Jessica Paterson (Class of 2002), who is the Development Project Director. They had the chance to participate in a panel discussion featuring female construction workers from areas such as project management, architecture, finance, legal, engineering, and human resources management. The speakers took the opportunity to demystify the industry, by sharing the paths they took from school to their exciting careers.
Women currently hold only 13% of construction roles, five per cent of which are leadership positions. The National Association of Women in Construction is looking to change that, with a goal of 25% female representation by 2025.
"It is important for young people to see inspiring female role models across a broad range of industries, particularly in areas where females are often under-represented. After all, you cannot be what you cannot see”, said Wenona’s Director of Student Opportunity and Careers Education Ms Samantha McFetridge. The location of this project made the learning experience even more valuable and authentic, due to its proximity to the School."
Victoria Cross Station is named after what in Sydney's earlier days was an empty space in front of the North Sydney post office where six roads converged. It is being built by a crew of around 450 people per day in the largest excavated railway cavern in the country, 31 metres below ground level.
"I enjoyed getting to see all the work that is put into building and planning the station. It shocked me how many skills are needed. It was also interesting to see all the trades in action, carrying out all their different responsibilities throughout the site", said Nikita (Year 9).
The station will connect the existing Metro North West Line that runs from Chatswood through North Sydney to the CBD and on to Bankstown. The project also includes a three-storey retail and dining space and a 42-storey commercial office tower.