Salam Taouk, Digital Engineering Manager at CPB Contractors, leads the digital engineering team on one of Victoria’s largest and most complex infrastructure projects— Suburban Rail Loop (SRL) East’s southern section of tunnels between Cheltenham and Glen Waverley. In this role, she drives digital engineering excellence, championing innovation and best practice across project delivery.
Salam began her career as an architect in the Middle East, where she developed a strong interest in Building Information Modelling (BIM). This passion led her to work within multidisciplinary teams delivering major infrastructure projects, including the Riyadh Metro and Abu Dhabi Airport. After relocating to Australia in 2018, Salam continued to build on her architectural and digital engineering expertise, bringing global experience and a collaborative mindset to Australia’s infrastructure sector.
“Architecture was always my passion, particularly the design side of the profession. After moving to Australia, I worked on residential projects but over time I realised it wasn’t enough for me. I wanted to work on something larger, projects that shape community life and improve day-to-day experience. This led me back to major infrastructure projects in Australia.”
Salam later joined one of Australia’s most significant transport projects, Sydney Metro City & Southwest, where she led BIM implementation and contributed to the architectural design of the award‑winning Gadigal Station. In this role, she developed deep experience in major project delivery in Australia while further strengthening her expertise in architectural design and digital engineering.
“My first experience with CPB Contractors was working alongside them to deliver the Gadigal Station project. It was one of the most challenging projects I’ve worked on, but also my favourite. Delivering the project during COVID made everything more demanding, but I genuinely loved working with CPB Contractors and collaborating with the project team."
“Every time I walk through Gadigal Station, I feel immense pride knowing that the space was once just an idea—lines on a drawing brought to life. I reflect on how it is shaping lives and connecting people right across Sydney.”
Motivated to transition from architectural practice to civil and structural construction—and to gain experience in contractor‑led delivery—Salam joined CPB Contractors on the Sydney Metro Western Sydney Airport Station Box and Tunnelling project, not yet fully appreciating the scale and complexity of the career shift ahead.
“When I first started, I felt completely overwhelmed. Everything was new – including the terminology and the use of simple acronyms like a TBM. Understanding how civil projects are delivered was a huge shift and challenge for me.”
What stood out most to Salam during this transition was the support and guidance she received from her team.
“The support from the team was incredible. There was a strong sense of patience and understanding, and they genuinely believed in my potential—sometimes more than I believed in myself. I also took a proactive approach, spending time reviewing drawings and developing a deeper understanding of the design and construction processes. I’ve always believed that digital engineering and BIM professionals must be closely embedded in both design and construction to truly make a meaningful impact.”
Salam acknowledges that the transition required a steep learning of new skills and new ways of working.
“At the beginning, I questioned whether I’d made the right decision, but my manager at the time really encouraged me and supported me. I still love design, and architecture will always be a core part of who I am; however, working at CPB Contractors has allowed me to see the bigger picture of what we could build, the career opportunities available and the real value CPB Contractors delivers to the community.”
Salam’s architectural background continues to add significant value to her role.
“My background as an architect and my deep understanding of design enable me to contribute strongly to design coordination. As a result, I took the initiative on the projects I worked on to help transition coordination from traditional 2D‑based processes to fully model‑based workflows. On large infrastructure projects, the level of complexity cannot always be effectively captured through drawings alone, which is where digital engineering adds significant value—bridging the gap between external consultants and our internal design teams to achieve better outcomes. My understanding of how consultants work, how design intent is developed, and how drawings are produced allows me to integrate these processes seamlessly with CPB Contractors’ delivery methodologies, providing a strong advantage in both design and digital engineering roles.”
Today, Salam is passionate about mentoring the next generation of professionals—particularly women—on SRL East. She has led several innovative digital engineering initiatives, including the rollout of CIMIC Group AI tools, the implementation of model‑based project delivery, and the establishment of digital engineering excellence across all project disciplines—from safety and delivery through to communications. Salam has also played a key role in developing 4D construction sequencing methodologies to support complex engineering and construction solutions.
“I’m not looking back. The move challenged me, pushed me out of my comfort zone, and opened doors I didn’t even know existed. I’ve grown professionally, discovered a new side of the industry, and built a career path that combines problem-solving, digital innovation and collaboration. I’m proud of where I am now and grateful for the managers, mentors, and team members at CPB Contractors who supported me and believed in me when I didn’t yet believe in myself.”
Salam began her career as an architect in the Middle East, where she developed a strong interest in Building Information Modelling (BIM). This passion led her to work within multidisciplinary teams delivering major infrastructure projects, including the Riyadh Metro and Abu Dhabi Airport. After relocating to Australia in 2018, Salam continued to build on her architectural and digital engineering expertise, bringing global experience and a collaborative mindset to Australia’s infrastructure sector.
“Architecture was always my passion, particularly the design side of the profession. After moving to Australia, I worked on residential projects but over time I realised it wasn’t enough for me. I wanted to work on something larger, projects that shape community life and improve day-to-day experience. This led me back to major infrastructure projects in Australia.”
Salam later joined one of Australia’s most significant transport projects, Sydney Metro City & Southwest, where she led BIM implementation and contributed to the architectural design of the award‑winning Gadigal Station. In this role, she developed deep experience in major project delivery in Australia while further strengthening her expertise in architectural design and digital engineering.
“My first experience with CPB Contractors was working alongside them to deliver the Gadigal Station project. It was one of the most challenging projects I’ve worked on, but also my favourite. Delivering the project during COVID made everything more demanding, but I genuinely loved working with CPB Contractors and collaborating with the project team."
“Every time I walk through Gadigal Station, I feel immense pride knowing that the space was once just an idea—lines on a drawing brought to life. I reflect on how it is shaping lives and connecting people right across Sydney.”
Motivated to transition from architectural practice to civil and structural construction—and to gain experience in contractor‑led delivery—Salam joined CPB Contractors on the Sydney Metro Western Sydney Airport Station Box and Tunnelling project, not yet fully appreciating the scale and complexity of the career shift ahead.
“When I first started, I felt completely overwhelmed. Everything was new – including the terminology and the use of simple acronyms like a TBM. Understanding how civil projects are delivered was a huge shift and challenge for me.”
What stood out most to Salam during this transition was the support and guidance she received from her team.
“The support from the team was incredible. There was a strong sense of patience and understanding, and they genuinely believed in my potential—sometimes more than I believed in myself. I also took a proactive approach, spending time reviewing drawings and developing a deeper understanding of the design and construction processes. I’ve always believed that digital engineering and BIM professionals must be closely embedded in both design and construction to truly make a meaningful impact.”
Salam acknowledges that the transition required a steep learning of new skills and new ways of working.
“At the beginning, I questioned whether I’d made the right decision, but my manager at the time really encouraged me and supported me. I still love design, and architecture will always be a core part of who I am; however, working at CPB Contractors has allowed me to see the bigger picture of what we could build, the career opportunities available and the real value CPB Contractors delivers to the community.”
Salam’s architectural background continues to add significant value to her role.
“My background as an architect and my deep understanding of design enable me to contribute strongly to design coordination. As a result, I took the initiative on the projects I worked on to help transition coordination from traditional 2D‑based processes to fully model‑based workflows. On large infrastructure projects, the level of complexity cannot always be effectively captured through drawings alone, which is where digital engineering adds significant value—bridging the gap between external consultants and our internal design teams to achieve better outcomes. My understanding of how consultants work, how design intent is developed, and how drawings are produced allows me to integrate these processes seamlessly with CPB Contractors’ delivery methodologies, providing a strong advantage in both design and digital engineering roles.”
Today, Salam is passionate about mentoring the next generation of professionals—particularly women—on SRL East. She has led several innovative digital engineering initiatives, including the rollout of CIMIC Group AI tools, the implementation of model‑based project delivery, and the establishment of digital engineering excellence across all project disciplines—from safety and delivery through to communications. Salam has also played a key role in developing 4D construction sequencing methodologies to support complex engineering and construction solutions.
“I’m not looking back. The move challenged me, pushed me out of my comfort zone, and opened doors I didn’t even know existed. I’ve grown professionally, discovered a new side of the industry, and built a career path that combines problem-solving, digital innovation and collaboration. I’m proud of where I am now and grateful for the managers, mentors, and team members at CPB Contractors who supported me and believed in me when I didn’t yet believe in myself.”