The NSW Government is marking a major step forward in strengthening NSW’s rail capability, welcoming one of its largest cohorts of female apprentices on board for Sydney Trains.
The 2026 female apprentice intake has risen 50% on the previous year, with women now representing 11.1% of all Sydney Trains apprentices – 3.2% above the national average for male-dominated trades.
Of the overall Sydney Trains apprentice cohort of 270, there are now 30 female workers up from 20 last year.
“By investing in world-class practical training and supporting more women into trades, we’re building the skilled workforce NSW needs to maintain, renew and manufacture the rail assets that keep our state moving,” said NSW Minister for Transport, John Graham.
“The Skills Development Centre at Auburn will help apprentices enter depots safer, more confident and job-ready, an important step in rebuilding local capability.”
This development comes at the same time as a new state‑of‑the‑art Skills Development Centre at the Auburn Heavy Maintenance Centre (AHMC) opens.
The newly opened Skills Development Centre provides first‑year Rollingstock apprentices with a safer, more controlled environment to build hand tool skills and gain practical experience using specialised tooling and equipment.
The facility delivers up to 380 hours of hands-on practical experience in the first year, which is more than double the practical hours typically provided in the standard apprenticeship.
The Centre contains a mix of new and refurbished machinery, giving apprentices foundational skills in bench work, fabrication, welding, machining, wiring and precision tools.
They are also exposed to 3D printing and scanning technologies, equipping them to support modern manufacturing needs, including replicating obsolete or hard‑to-source components.
First year apprentices complete their initial training across four five‑week blocks, rotating between the Skills Centre and AHMC workshops.
In the workshops, they gain supervised experience across major programs such as the XPT Life Extension, performing tasks including bogie builds, component change‑outs and project work.
“Opening the Skills Development Centre is a major investment in the future of local rail capability and a big step forward in boosting technical skills development in NSW – helping people gain the skills that work for our rail network,” said Minister for Skills, TAFE and Tertiary Education, Steve Whan.
“We’re seeing record numbers of women choosing trade careers with Sydney Trains, and we’re committed to supporting that growth to encourage the trend across the board.”
A dedicated electrical training area also supports senior apprentices preparing for final qualification exams and gain valuable simulated domestic wiring experience.
“This facility gives apprentices significantly more hands‑on training than they would normally receive, setting them up for long‑term success,” said Sydney Trains Chief Executive, Matt Longland.
“As a result, our apprentices get an extraordinary level of exposure to real trade tools and technologies,” he said.
“These apprentices are not just learning theory – they’re fabricating, machining, welding, fault‑finding and wiring from day one,” said Head of Sydney Trains Rollingstock, Ron Devitt.
“By the time they reach our depots, apprentices trained through this Centre have the practical experience to hit the ground running.”
Since 2022, more than 93% of the women who have completed their apprenticeships at Sydney Trains have secured ongoing employment, demonstrating the success of these initiatives in building long-term careers in rail.
Sydney Trains’ investment in training and diversity supports the NSW Government’s priority to rebuild domestic manufacturing capability and secure the rail workforce of the future.
