Going 100 Feet Underground

SIM University (UniSIM) students from three programmes in the School of Science and Technology (SST) – Bachelor of Building and Project Management (BBPM), Bachelor of Science in Facilities and Events Management (BFEM), and Bachelor of Science in Human Factors in Safety, enjoyed real world learning on 26 July 2014. A visit to the construction of the Downtown Line 3 – Bendeemer subway station and tunnel project was organised for them by Associate Professor Tan Teng Hooi, Head of the BBPM programme; and Dr Luke Peh, Head of the BFEM programme.

Mr Nawal Jaggi, Construction Manager at Penta-Ocean Construction Company Limited and an associate at SST, shared with the students the challenges of the underground project and counter-measure strategies. He mused that many things are unpredictable and can go awry in an underground project, rendering it tremendously difficult to keep the project on track. Above all, maintaining a good safety culture and practice has always been a top priority.

The students are grateful to have the opportunity to descend 100 feet underground to observe the activities in the subway station and the bored tunnel. BFEM student, Mr Philip Bay, quipped: "I certainly found the visit to be very interesting and am now more enlightened about underground construction. I will have the bragging rights of seeing how things are constructed so deep underground!"

_{UniSIM students and staff at 100 feet underground.}