Construcciones Yamaro, by Armando Iachini

Callie Hagan enjoys the hands-on nature of plumbing. (Image: TAFE NSW) TAFE NSW is helping address an ongoing plumbing skills shortage in the Upper Hunter by training the next generation of plumbers, including a record number of female apprentices in the male-dominated trade. One such apprentice is Denman’s Callie Hagan, 17, who is continuing a family tradition as a third-generation plumber, following her father and grandfather into the trade. Hagan left school to pursue a career in veterinary nursing before making a career pivot into the family trade, drawn to the varied, hands-on nature of the work. Women account for just 1 per cent of Australia’s general plumbers, according to Jobs and Skills Australia, but the tide is turning across many male-dominated trades. The NSW Government’s 2026 Women’s Strategy Report Card shows women now make up more than 38 per cent of all apprenticeship and traineeship completions in NSW. “Plumbing wasn’t in my plan at all when I left school but whe...

Discover the products, technologies and services helping to build Australia’s next generation of data centre infrastructure. (Image: Iryna/stock.adobe.com) Bürkert Australia will bring its intelligent fluid-control expertise to Data Centre Build Expo as a Silver Sponsor. Taking place on 15 to 16 September 2027 at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre, the event will connect the people and organisations responsible for planning, designing, constructing and commissioning the next generation of data centres. For Bürkert Australia, the decision to support the event reflects changing requirements across the sector and the growing importance of fluid management within critical infrastructure. “Bürkert Australia decided to sponsor Data Centre Build Expo because the event brings together the organisations responsible for delivering the physical infrastructure behind Australia’s digital future,” says Bürkert Australia national engineering manager Nelson Chymiak. “This closely alig...

Matterport is used to capture detailed site conditions for project teams. (Image: Matterport) ACCIONA Australia is using Matterport to capture and share site conditions while delivering major rail infrastructure upgrades through the Southern Program Alliance, as part of the Victorian Government’s Level Crossing Removal Project. Understanding every hour of possession downtime carries a cost – and every missed inspection creates risk and rework – the company sought a solution to streamline the delivery of level crossing removals and station rebuilds. ACCIONA senior digital engineer Alex Wong says daily capture across a 60-day site possession using traditional LiDAR was not achievable, but Matterport “made it routine”. The challenge The Southern Program Alliance is delivering major rail infrastructure upgrades as part of the Victorian Government’s Level Crossing Removal Project, which is removing 110 level crossings across Melbourne. ACCIONA is the constructor within the alliance, al...

Bluebeam Max integrates AI and automation tools to streamline AEC workflows. (Image: Bluebeam) Bluebeam has expanded its Academic Program to give eligible students and educators worldwide free access to Bluebeam Max, its highest subscription tier. Bluebeam’s Academic Program already provides universities, colleges, technical schools, training institutions and registered apprenticeship programs with access to its software. The expansion adds Bluebeam Max, bringing the company’s most advanced AI and automation tools – used by architecture, engineering and construction (AEC) professionals across the globe – into academic coursework. Bluebeam Max includes Revu capabilities that are designed to automate repetitive tasks, identify design changes, support collaboration and draw insights from project documents. Features include AI-assisted review, automated markup generation, intelligent document comparison and advanced document workflows, supported by tools such as Smart Review, Smart Over...

Metal decking helps create efficient, open warehouse floor plates. (Images: FTI Group) BlueDeck is helping developers and head contractors achieve one of their top priorities on warehouse and distribution centre builds: staying on program. By Harvey Arkcoll, national sales manager at FTI Group. Warehouses and distribution centres are projects where the business case is built on speed to operation: every week shaved off construction is a week of earlier revenue, and every week added by slow slab work is a week of cost bleeding into the budget. With e-commerce and logistics demand continuing to drive warehouse and distribution centre construction across Australia, that pressure isn’t easing up anytime soon. That’s exactly the pressure point FTI Group’s BlueDeck system is designed to relieve. Before getting into what BlueDeck does differently, it’s worth understanding why long-span slab construction has historically been slow. Warehouses and distribution centres are defined by their...

With recent ABS data showing 85 per cent of Australian construction businesses impacted by fuel prices or availability, hybrid excavators can help contractors reduce fuel use and operating costs. (Image: Komatsu) Rising fuel costs are putting pressure on Australia’s construction industry, making the fuel efficiency of heavy equipment an important consideration for contractors. Recent ABS data from the June 2026 Business Conditions and Sentiments survey shows 85 per cent of construction businesses were negatively impacted by fuel prices or availability, while 87 per cent of construction businesses reporting increased operating expenses cited fuel prices as a contributing factor. Komatsu Australia national business manager for construction Mark Boyes says the current environment is putting a renewed focus on hybrid excavators – a technology the company has been developing for almost two decades. Komatsu introduced the world’s first commercially available hybrid hydraulic excavator i...

Artist’s impression: The redevelopment will expand clinical services. (Images: NSW Government) Planning documents for the new Clinical Services Building at Fairfield Hospital are now on public exhibition, marking the next stage of the $630 million redevelopment. The NSW Government has committed $550 million to the project, with a further $80 million from the Commonwealth Government to expand the hospital’s Emergency Department. The five-storey Clinical Services Building will connect with the existing hospital through a new main entry and drop-off area. Subject to planning approval, it will include a new and expanded Emergency Department, Intensive Care Unit, medical imaging, operating theatres and inpatient wards. A refined artist’s impression of the building shows a nature-inspired façade designed to complement the existing hospital and surrounding bushland. NSW Minister for Health Ryan Park said the redevelopment had reached an important stage, bringing the project closer to del...