WA workers learning COVID-19 safety skills

New short courses in infection control are now being rolled out to help customer-facing businesses open safely and minimise the risk of COVID-19 spreading.

Around 80,000 subsidised infection control training places will be provided across Australia, supported by an $80 million Infection Control Training Fund jointly delivered by the Commonwealth and State and Territory governments.

Today, Minister for Employment, Skills, Small and Family Business, Senator Michaelia Cash, visited Perth-based training provider, the Amana Living Training Institute, which is delivering vital training to workers in the aged and disability care sectors.

“The infection control training will help keep Western Australian workers safe and build confidence for consumers as businesses reopen,” Minister Cash said.

“This is especially important within the aged and disability care sector, to ensure the most vulnerable members of our community are kept safe.

“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.”

Workers will be provided with the skills and knowledge they need to decrease the risk of transmitting infections during their daily duties.

In addition to aged and disability care, other targeted industries include: retail, tourism, hospitality, cleaning, security and transport and logistics. Short infection control courses can be completed as a stand-alone competency or as part of a broader qualification.

Assistant Minister for Vocational Education, Training and Apprenticeships, the Hon Steve Irons MP, said the fund will deliver around $8.26 million to support subsidised infection control training in Western Australia.

“It’s critical that we keep Australians safe at work during the COVID-19 pandemic and this training will ensure many workplaces are kept open,” Assistant Minister Irons said.

“Getting Australians trained with this skill set will help rebuild our workforce and inspire confidence amongst consumers, which in turn will be critical in achieving a strong and rapid economic recovery.

“This will also provide new opportunities for those who want to find work in the aged and disability care sector.”

WA Education and Training Minister Sue Ellery said the McGowan Government was pleased to partner with the Commonwealth Government to deliver vital infection control to a bigger cross section of WA’s workforce.

“Early feedback to support recovery has been that short, sharp skill set training helps workers perform their jobs safely by reducing the risk of infection and transmission in the workplace,” Minister Ellery said.

“Amana Living Training Institute was one of the first private registered training organisations to start delivering the WA COVID-19 Direct Care Skills Set, which all WA TAFE Colleges are offering as well.”

The infection control skill set was the first national training product developed by the new Australian Industry Skills Emergency Response Sub-Committee in response to COVID-19.

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