Kubota Australia has partnered with Holmesglen Institute to safely train the next generation of civil and building construction workers.

With the Victorian Government committing to building five new tunnels in Melbourne over the next 11 years, there is an untapped need for safely trained tunnelling professionals.

Holmesglen Institute education manager for civil construction and tunnelling Andrew Warrington said Kubota’s equipment is used every day in all of the major tunnelling and infrastructure projects across Melbourne and it’s important students are taught how to safely use it.

“Holmesglen’s Victorian Tunnelling Centre is one of only three facilities in the world, training 2000 local and interstate workers in tunnel construction machinery operations and underground construction safety,” he says.

“Kubota equipment is often the first choice in civil construction. They constitute 36% of the Australian mini excavator market and are the go-to equipment for all major tunnelling projects around Australia.

“At the training centre we use a Kubota R065 articulated loader, KX040-4 excavators, SVL75-2 Skid Steer loader and RTVX900 utility vehicle to train civil construction and tunnelling students.”

Students are training to use the equipment first through a three-screen simulator before heading into Holmesglen’s simulated tunnel to practice on the machines and learn how to use them in controlled conditions.

The first cohort of Tunnelling Apprentices started in August 2019 and use the knowledge and skills developed each day on the job.

The Victorian Tunnelling Centre, located at Holmesglen’s Drummond St. campus is used in the training of Certificate III in Civil Construction for infrastructure and general construction projects.