New batch of cadets graduate from road design program

Celebrating the recent graduation of the Main Roads Design Training Centre cadets are (from left) Marco and Julie Gliori (parents), Amy Gliori (graduate), Lauren Tomkins (QTMR Program Support Coordinator at the Road Design Training Centre), Angela Fry (USQ Lecturer and program coordinator) and Professor Frank Bullen (Dean of Faculty of Engineering and Surveying).

A group of University of Southern Queensland students are on the road to a successful career in the civil engineering industry after graduating from the Queensland Transport and Main Roads Road Design Training Centre (RDTC).

The centre’s goal is to produce experienced and fully qualified road designers to help Main Roads fill the critical skills shortage in the industry.

The recent graduates were the fifth group of cadets to complete the two-year program since it commenced in semester two, 2006.

As qualified Road Designers, they will be transferred to design offices in Toowoomba, Cairns, Cloncurry, Roma, Mackay, Nerang and Brisbane this year.

The cadets celebrated their graduation from the program with friends, families, mentors, and RDTC staff at the recent End-of-Cadetship dinner.

USQ Civil Construction Lecturer and program coordinator of the USQ/RDTC partnership program Angela Fry said the program had become very popular with civil engineering students.

‘The number of applicants for the RDTC program is usually quite high, making places in the program quite competitive,’ Mrs Fry said.

‘The scheme has been very successful in ensuring a good flow of trained road designers into the civil engineering industry.

‘The majority of scheme graduates are still employed by QTMR but others have moved on to private engineering consultants and to local authorities.

‘A fair number of the graduates have also elected to undertake further studies in the engineering field.’

Mrs Fry said most cadet intakes have been a mixture of school leavers and mature aged people.

Contact Details:
Callum Johnson, USQ Media, +61 7 46 31 1163