V/Line is boosting its regional rail signal maintenance after recent graduates completed its first ever three-year in-house signal maintenance training course, supported by the Victorian Government.
The eight newly graduated technicians will be based at depots across the V/Line network.
V/Line commenced the in-house training program to support technicians in gaining more specialised knowledge of the Victorian network, compared with training through an external course.
The technicians are responsible for the construction, installation and maintenance of signalling and communications equipment, which is vital to the safe and efficient operation of V/Line services. They also work on level crossing equipment, train detection equipment, safety monitors and related telecommunications equipment.
The graduates all had previous experience as electricians and completed a Certificate IV in Electrical Railway Signalling to qualify. Another five technicians are also due to finish the course in 2023.
Victorian Minister for Public Transport, Ben Carroll, said, “I’m excited to see the next generation of technicians coming through to help V/Line continue to deliver safe and reliable services as the regional network continues to grow.
“Training courses like this don’t just help fill an industry need for specialised skilled workers, they also provide an exciting career path for Victorians.”
The course was developed to provide graduates with the relevant work experience on the regional rail network, in addition to supporting the development of technical signal maintenance skills.
Training includes classroom learning, on-network experience with trained competency specialists and classes at the Wendouree depot, where apprentices get to practice on specialised signalling equipment that operate identically to those they will encounter on the network.