Mentor Alliance | Australian Tunnelling Society

Welcome to the Australian Tunnelling Society (ATS) Mentor Alliance – a dynamic program designed to connect engineers and professionals in the tunnelling industry through meaningful mentorships.

Launched in 2023 by the Diversity in Tunnelling (DiT) Subcommittee, this initiative was created to inspire and empower industry members, providing opportunities to develop new skills, gain confidence, and accelerate career growth through mentorship.

Now in its third year, the 2025 Mentor Alliance is a collaborative effort between the ATS DiT and Young Members, with guidance from an experienced learning facilitator at Impact Business School. The program is also proudly supported by the Australian Geomechanics Society (AGS) NSW Chapter and the Institution of Fire Engineers (IFE) Australia.

Why Join the Mentor Alliance?

For Mentees: Gain confidence, expand your knowledge, and develop the skills needed to advance your career. A mentor serves as a professional guide—offering insights, motivation, and valuable advice when you need it most.
For Mentors: Make a difference by sharing your expertise, gaining fresh perspectives, and shaping future industry leaders. This program offers a unique opportunity to develop leadership skills while contributing to the growth of the tunnelling community.

Be Part of Something Bigger

✅ Make an impact as a mentor

✅ Grow your skills and confidence as a mentee

✅ Expand your professional network and build lasting industry connections

Join us in building a stronger, more connected tunnelling and engineering industry. Become part of the ATS Mentor Alliance today!

Registration

Expressions of interest opening soon!

Special dates

EOI: 7 March – 30 March
Notification of mentor/mentee pairs: 21 April (TBC)
Orientation Sessions: early May
Recurring Learning and Development Forums: dates TBC

Encourage and empower

“My main goal was to encourage and provide constructive feedback, as mentors can help younger engineers build confidence in their abilities, empowering them to take on challenging projects and assume leadership roles in the future. I have also aimed at introducing younger engineers to key contacts, industry stakeholders, and groups, supporting them in expanding their professional network and opening doors to potential opportunities and collaborations.”

We value diversity

“Now in my 60s, I’ve only relatively recently felt able to acknowledge being gay and realized how much more empowered I feel when I can be my full self at work. I put myself forward as a mentor in the diversity space hoping to be able to pass on some of my learning of the real power of valuing diversity.”

Mapping out a career path

“To gain more experience in Tunnelling design, my mentor helped me identify my weaknesses and provided valuable advice. He assisted me in planning the career path I should follow to achieve my goals in the coming years. Thank you very much to ATS for this program.”

Learn and grow

“I’ve been in the industry for a while, thought I knew most people. It’s why I nominated as a mentor. However, through this program, I gained insight into a part of the industry new to me. Even as the mentor, I learned so much.”

Contacts