Building bridges: engineering change, exchanging knowledge & experience across borders

Meta description: Engineers from Cambodia’s Ministry of Public Works and Transport are gaining hands-on experience and building lasting professional networks through their secondment at Queensland’s Department of Transport and Main Roads.  

Building a people-to-people connection in road infrastructure 

Four engineers from Cambodia’s Ministry of Public Works and Transport (MPWT) are undertaking a five-month secondment with Queensland’s Department of Transport and Main Roads (TMR) from June to November 2025. Supported by Australia’s Partnerships for Infrastructure (P4I), the program provides exposure to Australia’s latest technology and approach to road and bridge standards, construction, and maintenance.  

The initiative is aligned with Australia’s Southeast Asia Economic Strategy to 2040, which prioritises infrastructure as a driver of sustainable and inclusive growth. The Secondees are embedded across two streams, Brisbane’s Structures team, and Far North Queensland (Cairns) Pavement team, enabling direct knowledge exchanges that will enhance Cambodia’s infrastructure regulation and practices. 

Learning through action 

The secondment builds on P4I’s ongoing engagement with Austroads, which supports MPWT to update Cambodia’s bridge and road technical standards. Building on the success of that collaboration, Austroads recommended MPWT continue with TMR as a key partner with whom MPWT could to deepen its cooperation with Australia. The secondment initiative, therefore, reflects the progressive and evolving nature of long-term government-to-government partnerships facilitated by P4I. 

Benefits from the Secondment flow in two directions. For Cambodia, secondees will gain valuable skills that empower them to champion improving and strengthening of governance, processes & systems of infrastructure delivery and maintenance at MPWT. It will also prepare them to support their teams to achieve effective implementation of standards and regulations. Therefore, this investment lays the foundation for long-term transformation. For Australia and the region, the program strengthens professional ties and reinforces a shared commitment to inclusive and sustainable infrastructure. 

To ensure this, the Secondees have identified and are pursuing specific learning goals that tackle unique challenges associated with road and bridge infrastructure delivery in Cambodia. This allows the Secondees to build a customized skill set aligned with MPWT’s policy goals of delivering inclusive and sustainable infrastructure.  

As P4I Activity Manager Rewa Marathe explained: 

“Secondments like this link high level policy ambitions with practice through hands-on implementation experience. The Engineers learn about new tools and techniques that they can implement in their work upon return, simultaneously fostering the strong partnerships between the different government agencies for a long-term regional connectivity.”

Fostering Champions of Change 

During their time with TMR, the Cambodian secondees are gaining exposure to live projects, whether it involves shadowing bridge inspections in Brisbane or learning pavement management in Cairns. Workshops, site visits and team discussions give them a chance to see how Australia applies standards in practice, while also sharpening their communication and leadership skills. 

Alongside technical exposure, the secondees are also building networks with Queensland engineers that will continue well beyond their five-month placement. These professional ties are expected to provide ongoing opportunities for collaboration and advice as the secondees continue their careers back in Cambodia. 

Sina Roeurn, Deputy Chief of the Road Maintenance Department at MPWT, is gaining hands-on experience with TMR’s Pavement team. A graduate of the National Polytechnic Institute of Cambodia, she also serves as the gender focal point for a World Bank-funded asset management project, promoting women’s participation in road construction. 

“At first, I felt unsure in this role, but training and mentorship gave me confidence. Now I see the value of creating opportunities for women and ensuring safe, fair working conditions”.  

Sina’s professional growth accelerated through P4I’s Women in Leadership mentorship initiative, which gave her the confidence to pursue international learning opportunities. 

“This is a wonderful opportunity to strengthen my technical knowledge - especially in pavement design, project delivery and maintenance - while also growing personally in terms of leadership and communication.” 

She is actively engaging in workshops on sprayed seal design, flexible pavement materials, and climate-resilient infrastructure. Her site visits include observing pipe jacking technology, flood immunity upgrades, and inspecting aging bridge infrastructure in Weipa, Cape York Peninsula. She is also exploring TMR’s asset management dashboard and reflecting on how digital systems can improve decision-making in Cambodia. For Sina, as a female secondee, Sina feels a strong sense of responsibility. 

“I hope my journey will inspire other young women to take bold steps in their careers,” she added.

Chamroeun Chhorn is also based in Cairns. He is a Deputy Chief Officer with MPWT. He holds a PhD in pavement engineering and is using his expertise to explore advanced techniques in practice at TMR. He began with foundational training in project management and workplace culture and is now expanding his technical knowledge through site visits and conferences. 

He attended the Austroads Bridge Conference and participated in field visits on road widening and drainage improvement projects. These experiences are helping him understand technologies like bituminous sealing - commonly used in Cambodia but not well understood. Encouraged by his supervisor, Chamroeun is preparing materials to share with colleagues back home. 

Despite challenges in adapting to new technical concepts and work culture, Chamroeun is embracing every opportunity with enthusiasm and a strong desire to contribute meaningfully upon his return. Mindful of the challenges of bringing knowledge from his learning journey as a Secondee, he notes  

"I just want to bring something that is helpful, but not too complicated so people can apply it easily, because if you bring something new and difficult, people tend to not use it."

In Brisbane, Oudam Phal works closely with engineers on bridge asset management and inspection regimes in TMR’s Structures Stewardship team.  

Oudam is the Chief Officer, Expressway, Mega Bridge and Investment Department at MPWT. He is working closely with TMR’s Structures Stewardship team, focusing on inspections and asset management. Back in Cambodia, his role involves managing the existing bridge infrastructure ensuring operational service, inspecting and auditing the bridge structure and facility ensuring standard application and safety of the asset and the users. In addition to this main role, he is also involved in coordination and management of road and bridge study and construction projects to ensure quality standards.  

His secondment includes structured training modules on asset management, inspection techniques, and maintenance planning. He is participating in site visits across Queensland and learning how TMR uses tools like the Bridge Information System (BIS) for inspection and maintenance.

Oudam has delivered presentations to TMR teams, including one at the O&M Directorate Meeting where he shared insights from Cambodia’s infrastructure challenges and a case study on the Koh Kong Bridge. He is also engaging in discussions on climate resilience, emergency response, and whole-of-life costing. 

"I was excited to see how Queensland applies technical standards to ensure both quality and resilience in infrastructure. It gave me new insights that I can adapt to Cambodia’s conditions." 

Oudam is also passionate about inclusive infrastructure design. 

"Inclusion means everyone - regardless of gender, background, or disability. Whatever we design should meet different needs but still provide equal access and service." 

He hopes to carry this perspective home and become a male champion of change, advocating for inclusive leadership and infrastructure that serves all people.

Lim Lengchhay works as a Deputy Chief Officer at the Ministry of Public Works and Transport. He is diving deep into structural engineering, focusing on bridge analysis and design using both Cambodian and Australian standards at TMR’s Brisbane Office. He is learning to use software tools like SPACEGASS and Structural Bridge Design, applying them to real-world projects such as designing a 15-meter span bridge girder and checking I-girder designs for a 30-meter span. 

He is participating in site inspections, including post-galvanization assessments and precast yard visits, which help him connect theoretical design with practical construction. Lengchhay is also engaging in risk management training and learning about cost estimation and durability design. 

Despite challenges with new software and complex design codes, he is receiving strong mentorship from his supervisor, who guides him through hand calculations and code interpretation. Lengchhay is dedicated to advancing Cambodia’s engineering capacity by delivering locally designed, long-span bridges that reflect national expertise and meet the country’s infrastructure needs.

Beyond the secondment: from learning to leadership

As the secondments continue, the Cambodian engineers are already thinking about how to apply their learning back home. From new approaches to road and bridge maintenance and materials to inclusive ways of engaging communities, the experience is equipping them with tools that can be adapted to Cambodia’s context. 

Beyond technical expertise, the secondees are gaining the confidence to lead change. They see themselves not only as engineers, but as role models who can inspire colleagues and future generations to embrace innovation and inclusion in infrastructure. 

Together, they embody the purpose of P4I’s secondment program: strengthening professional connections while building the foundations for resilient, inclusive infrastructure across Southeast Asia.