Infection control training is underway in Western Australia as part of an $80 million Infection Control Training Fund joint investment by Australian and state and territory governments.
The fund supports customer-facing businesses to train workers in how to minimise the risk of COVID-19 and support them to re-open safely. More than 7,000 training places have so far been allocated in Western Australia.
This is the first national training product developed by the new Australian Industry Skills Emergency Response Sub-Committee in response to COVID-19. Since being agreed to in May 2020, almost 1,000 Western Australian workers have completed the training.
Minister for Employment, Skills, Small and Family Business, Senator the Hon Michaelia Cash, attended an infection control training session today held by iCollege, one of the registered training organisations (RTOs) delivering this important training.
“Infection control training will help keep Australian workers safe and build confidence for consumers as businesses reopen across the country,” Minister Cash said.
“Today we have participants representing pharmacy, the aged care and small business sectors – vital sectors to ensure the most vulnerable members of our community are kept safe, and which support our economic recovery.
“COVID-19 has had a devastating impact on our economy and changed the way we do business.
“It is great to see the college and the pharmacy guild teaming up to deliver this training across the country.”
Infection control training will provide workers with the skills and knowledge they need to decrease the risk of transmitting infections during their daily duties.
Targeted industries also include retail, tourism, hospitality, cleaning, security and transport and logistics. Short courses can be completed as a stand-alone competency or as part of a broader qualification.
Minister Cash said the fund will deliver around $8.26 million to support subsidised infection control training in Western Australia.
“This a great example of how government, industry, workers and registered training organisations can work together to rapidly roll out these measures and ensure the wellbeing of all Australians,” Minister Cash said.
“The joint Western Australia JobTrainer Agreement will inject an extra $103.4 million into Western Australia’s vocational education and training (VET) sector, with $51.7 million from the Commonwealth Government matched dollar-for-dollar by the WA Government.
“JobTrainer will play a central role in our recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic, not just here in Western Australia but right across the nation.
“Nationally, the $1 billion JobTrainer Fund, including a $500 million investment from the Australian Government to be matched by the state and territory governments, will provide up to 340,000 additional training places to help school leavers and job seekers gain the skills they need to get a job.”
