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Metro Academy people came together on Rail R U OK? Day to connect and reflect on the culture change at the Academy, and hear stories from our colleagues talking about their experiences at Metro. The gathering also created the forum for opening the new Metro Academy Station for training, Platform 14b. In a setting like […]

On Saturday 1 April, Metro Academy opened its doors to the public for Metro’s first-ever Community Day, with over 300 train enthusiasts of all ages attending to experience life on the railways. Activities included taking to the tracks in Metro’s state-of-the-art train simulators, learning about the history of Melbourne’s rail network and the city-shaping projects happening across Melbourne, and meeting some of the incredible team behind our rail network. Those interested in a career in rail had the chance to speak to qualified drivers, Authorised Officers, signallers and other operational roles, and also chat with our talent team. The day had plenty for families, with bubble art, music and Metro-themed activities such as colouring in and giant puzzles. But the true highlight was our Metro team members, sharing their passion for all things to do with trains and the work they do every day connecting people and places across Melbourne.

After a long time coming, and in preparation to meet the capability increase for the Metro Tunnel, Metro Academy recently completed construction of three new briefing rooms. One board room has been renovated to become a briefing room and virtual reality hub for driver training. ​​​​​​​ With the increase in trainees in the building, and capability needs on the rise, it is a much-needed addition. The new briefing rooms, coupled with WiFi, will also provide a ‘quiet place’ for quick one-on-ones, sharing feedback with trainee or meetings as staffing accelerates to meet the needs of the business.

Nick Andreula, Training Resource Support Officer Metro Academy said about the day, “Wear it Purple Day is an annual LGBTIQA+ awareness day especially for young people, based in Australia. Metro Academy also got into the spirit of wearing purple and decorating the office in all things purple to celebrate diversity and LGBTIQA+ community. Jess Krammer took it to another level and was officially named our cheerleader for the day. 

ROF, a holistic rail operations fundamental program, covers topics such as critical communications, teamwork, fatigue management, work health and safety and train track safety awareness. With common units across qualifications in Customer Service, Authorised Officer and Initial Driver training, ROF will be delivered in stages to ensure preparedness for the Metro Tunnel Project, before opening the program more broadly to Metro. ROF will be delivered using face-to-face training, online delivery and practical assessments and will leverage technology to distribute information.

Metro Academy is excited to announce the release of our new Basic Rail Industry Knowledge or BRIK training program. As of Thursday 30 June, the new and innovative Metro rail induction piece will be available on The Platform. This training program will provide participants with an introduction to all things rail and will showcase different areas of the rail industry; shown to the participant in a six-part video series. The program will be released to all new starters as part of induction and made available to anyone who started with Metro in the last six months. It will also be available as a course offering on The Platform. We welcome you to check out the Basic Rail Industry Knowledge program and get a great insight to all the teams working together to keep Melbourne moving on the Metro network.

The Education Services team at Metro Academy have been busy creating a new rail induction program. The Basic Rail Industry Knowledge Program – or “BRIK”will be provided as a course offering to all new starters. The program will comprise 6 episodes, walking participants through the many areas of Metro working collectively to deliver an exceptional experience for our passengers. Melbourne’s Rail History – A look back at the rich history of rail in Australia. Keeping Melbourne Moving – A look at how we support our passengers all over the Metro Rail Network and the roles that influence an exceptional customer experience. Behind the Scenes – A look at the behind-the-scenes roles of Metro business units that assist to keep the MRN going. Working on Track – An introduction to working on the track and track force protection, safety clearances and danger zones. Your Rail Journey – The Victorian Big Build, level crossing removals, Metro Tunnel Project and the role of Metro Academy. Meet the Fleet – Different types of Rolling Stock and the adjacent rail operators, train drivers and maintenance.

Metro Academy is our very own Registered Training Organisation (RTO) that offers railway workers and contractors training and development to be able to work safely on a live railway. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the Academy increased its offerings The Rail Safety Training team expanded from 7 to 18 trainers With the addition of a new training location in Laverton, Metro Academy now delivers over three campuses Allowing 250 additional courses to be offered in FY22 Resulting in next day availability for most bookings Check out the Academy’s online program and booking tool – The Platform The Platform has a new homepage which makes it easier to find what you need. My Upcoming Training will show you any face-to-face training sessions that you are enrolled in My Training Record will show you all uncompleted training sessions that have been assigned to you Certifications will show you any training that requires a refresher including the date in which you will need the refresher by What’s coming up next? The Academy will soon be offering 2 new courses. The Basic Rail Industry Knowledge program. Designed to give a high-level induction of the many teams working together to keep the network running. The Rail Operations Fundamentals (ROF) skillset. This skillset will provide fundamental skills and knowledge required to pursue a career in the rail industry. The team at the Academy are excited to welcome you to their training facilities and look forward to sharing more updates with you as our program and offerings develop.​​​​​​​ If you have any questions relating to the platform, please contact the.platform@metrotrains.com.au