Skills eFlash #132

Skills eFlash #132 New

Date: 09-Jan-2025

1.qldwater Environment Forum, Gympie

qldwater will start off the 2025 events calendar with a forum to explore environmental opportunities for Queensland's urban water sector in Gympie on 13 February 2025.

This in person event will take place at The Pavillion, 77 Exhibition Road, Southside, Gympie.

The forum aims to bring together practitioners from both the Environment and Urban Water sectors to explore the intersection of environmental stewardship and urban water management. Our goal is to foster greater collaboration between these sectors, ultimately leading to innovative solutions and improved outcomes.

More info and register here.

2. qldwater Workforce Survey Report 2024

It’s hard to believe it’s been two years since we last surveyed members for our biennial Workforce Snapshot Report – the most comprehensive workforce report of its kind for the water sector.

This important report is central to our advocacy work and is the document Government Departments look to in understanding the urban water sector in QLD from a skills and workforce perspective.

Water Skills Partners discussed the report at the last meeting in November 2024 and were advised the survey forms will be sent out shortly.

We’ve introduced changes this year to give respondents the opportunity to clarify how team members divide their roles when working across multiple streams, such as water, wastewater, or networks.

We will also set up online support sessions where questions on how to complete the data fields can be answered by team qldwater.

Please remind colleagues of the importance of completing the survey and if you have members of your teams that returned data in 2022, please remind them another request is coming shortly from us.

You can access the last survey report published in 2023 (and other workforce related publications) via the qldwater website

3. qldwater Micro-Credentials Training 2025

Registrations are now open for a series of upcoming micro-credential courses to be delivered at the qldwater offices in Eagle Farm Brisbane. The face to face, non-accredited micro-credential courses aim to provide skills uplifts for the water sector across the state. Limited places available so get your registrations in asap!

Date	Venue	Course	Cost for members
1 April 2025	*qldwater* offices, Eagle Farm, Brisbane	Practical implications for Drinking Water Quality Management Plans	$410
2 April 2025	*qldwater* offices, Eagle Farm, Brisbane	Making use of water quality data	$410
3 - 4 April 2025	*qldwater* offices, Eagle Farm, Brisbane	Introduction to SCADA	$950

Prices include refreshments during the day.

Please email skills@qldwater.com.au for more information, including pricing for non-members. Regional sessions will follow throughout the year – more details to come.

4. Activated Sludge and BNR Course, Mackay

The WIM Alliance has successfully secured Queensland Water Regional Alliance Program (QWRAP) funding to host an Activated Sludge and BNR course, delivered by Assoc Prof. Helen Stratton from Griffith University, and her team.

Course Details

Dates: 3 - 7 March 2025
Location: CQUniversity Ooralea, Mackay
Spots Available: Limited (16 currently)

This intensive one-week course is one of the few short-course wastewater operational training packages available in Queensland. It is specifically designed for professionals in the wastewater industry, including operators, engineers, scientists, and managers.

Participants will gain practical skills and knowledge for troubleshooting and process optimisation of activated sludge and biological nutrient removal systems.

Thanks to state government funding from the Department of Local Government, Water and Volunteers, delivered via QWRAP, course costs range from $1,294 to $2,156 per person, depending on participant allocations.

Each council is to arrange travel and accommodation for their participants. There may be a possibility of securing a discount with accommodation if councils were to stay in the same location. Please reach out with the preference in accommodation requirements and we can see what is possible.

5. Appointment of the new qldwater Water Skills Partnership Manager

As readers will hopefully remember from the previous Skills E-Flash, we have recently been hiring to provide even more focus to our important Water Skills Partnership group.

We are delighted to announce our newest team member is Sarah Henry, who brings a wealth of experience in the VET sector to the role, most notably in relation to the National Water Training Package itself.

Sarah joined qldwater on 13 January 2025. We look forward to welcoming her to the new role and introducing her to members, partners and affiliates.