Skills eFlash #133 New
Date: 11-Feb-2025
In this edition: Aqua and Brown Industry Cards | Workforce Survey Report | Water Skills Forum |
Aqua and Brown Industry Cards
Are you meeting your WHS training obligations for your operators?
Don’t forget qldwater has your industry safety cards to assist in this and they’re FREE!
Aqua Card: This course provides an overview of drinking water quality and how it can be affected by working on or around drinking water infrastructure. Information this card covers includes:
- What contaminants are
- What risks they pose to the public
- How they can enter a drinking water system
- Your responsibilities and how to manage work in and around systems to reduce the risk of contaminants entering them.
Brown Card: This course is designed to provide you with an overview of the importance of, and requirements for, maintaining public health, minimising environmental harm and general workplace health and safety when working in, on or near sewerage and recycled water assets.
Information this card covers includes:
- Legislation, guidelines and standards
- Risks and safety
- Managing health risks
- Specific Types of Work/Tasks
- Sewage overflows/spills
- Your key responsibilities
These Industry cards were designed for industry, by industry and should be a key element in your annual staff training refresher. Contact us at skills@qldwater.com.au to assist in bulk enrolment of your staff.
qldwater Workforce Survey Report 2024
Has your region completed the Workforce Survey Report 2024?
It’s hard to believe that it’s been two years since we last surveyed our members for our biennial Workforce Snapshot Report – the most comprehensive workforce report of its kind for the water sector.
This important report forms the backbone of our advocacy work and is the document that Government Departments look to in understanding the state of the urban water sector in QLD. We use it to assist in analysing your training needs and helping you with targeting training programs.
If you haven’t completed this as yet, download the survey here and get it back to us by 28 February 2025 please.
Water Skills Forum – Putting People at the Heart of Innovation
Have you secured your FREE tickets for the Water Skills Forum 2025?
Hosted by the Water Skills Partnership, the annual skills forum brings together local and state government staff, registered training organisations and industry stakeholders to share insights, challenges and opportunities in building a sustainable workforce to deliver essential urban water services to all Queensland communities.
Now in its eighth year, the theme for this year's Annual Water Skills Forum is Putting People at the Heart of Innovation.
The event will include a QUT WISE Lab Tour and drinks reception from 4.30pm to 6.30pm on 26 March. This is a member and invitee event only.
Register here for the QUT tour.
We have a separate registration for the Water Skills Forum which will take place at the Queensland Parliament from 8.00am to 4.00pm on 27 March.
Register here for the Water Skills Forum.
As a valued WSP member, your organisation is eligible for two free tickets to the event. To access the free tickets, please add the code "WSPMEMBER" when you register.
We look forward to meeting all the attendees and having the opportunity to network. Building connections in person is a valued part of this event, and we’re excited to engage with everyone, share perspectives, and collaborate on building a sustainable and innovative future for the water sector.
RSL Partnership – Skilled Candidates Available
qldwater has partnered with the RSL Employment Program, which works with employers across Australia to assist ex-serving and partners of current and ex-serving Defence members to make connections and ultimately find meaningful employment.
The manager for RSL Employment, Matt Hull, has advised that if your organisation is interested in knowing more about a candidate or the program, to contact the employment team directly at employmentprogram@rslqld.org. Members are also welcome to contact us at skills@qldwater.com.au and we will continue to work on your behalf.
Our members can place adverts on the RSL Employment Boards without charge and the dedicated RSL team will seek to align the roles with their skilled cohorts. Based on recent candidate reviews, we are confident you will find them highly skilled. Please encourage your recruitment teams to forward adverts through when positions are advertised, from entry level to senior roles aligned with the water/wastewater or network teams.
WSP meeting – First of the year
A date claimer has been emailed out to WSP members advising of the upcoming WSP meeting from 9.30 to 11.00am on 13 March.
The agenda will be sent closer to the date, but in the meantime, please let us know if there were any specific issues you would like to see included.
Please also review the draft Terms of Reference in preparation for endorsement at the meeting.
TRILITY Courses
We are pleased to announce that two more TRILITY courses are now open for self-enrolment on the watertraining.com.au website.
This course explains the principles of how pumps work, the reason for energy loss in flowing fluids, how fluid flow is controlled and problem solving fluid flow systems.
This course explains why isolations are needed, the different methods used for isolations and risk management and isolations.
Two other TRILITY courses are also available, including Chemistry and Calculations. These introductory courses are great for new starters or for any staff that may need a bit more information about these particular topics.
We welcome feedback on these courses to ensure we continually improve on our learning materials. Some of the images are not that great, so if any of our members can share better quality images, we would greatly appreciate it!
Micro-Credential Courses
qldwater is hosting a series of practical Micro-Credential courses at our Eagle Farm office in Brisbane this April. These micro-credentials are designed to support operational and field staff in strengthening their knowledge and skills in drinking water quality management, data analysis, and SCADA systems.
Who should attend?
- Water and sewerage operators
- Operational support staff
- Field teams and data users
1 April 2025 – Practical Implications of the DWQMP (6 hours + assessments)
- Understand your role in effectively implementing a Drinking Water Quality Management Plan (DWQMP)
- Learn how to manage risks from catchment to consumer
- Gain insights into key operational touchpoints for water safety compliance
2 April 2025 – Making Sense of Water Quality Data (4-6 hours + assessments)
- Learn how to interpret and apply water quality data for informed decision-making
- Use tools like Excel and swimlocal to track trends and identify emerging issues
- Ensure compliance with your DWQMP while improving drinking water quality
3-4 April 2025 – Introduction to SCADA (2 days, 16 hours)
- Get an overview of SCADA and telemetry systems used in water and sewerage
- Gain practical experience in monitoring, operating, and responding to system events
- Understand how SCADA supports drinking water management and critical control points
Register now to secure your spot!
Spaces are limited, and these courses are essential for teams looking to improve water quality management and operational efficiency.
Queensland Training Awards
Nominations are open for the Queensland Training Awards to honour individuals and organisations that achieve excellence in vocational education and training.
Categories include apprentices, trainees, teachers, trainers, employers, training providers and community organisations. The awards highlight the value of training and open doors for winners and finalists, so we encourage our members to nominate.
More information is available here.
UPCOMING EVENTS
- 13 Feb Environmental Opportunities Forum, Gympie
- 19 Feb AWA QLD Industry Breakfast, Victoria Park, Brisbane
- 19 Feb Stormwater Queensland Water Summit
- 13 Mar - Water Skills Partnership Meeting
- 26 Mar Research and Education Tour and Drinks Reception, QUT
- 27 Mar Annual Water Skills Forum, Parliament House
- 12-15 May Water Connections Tour
- 20-21 Aug Annual Forum, qldwater offices, Eagle Farm. Brisbane
- 10-12 Sep WSAA Wastewater Source Management Network Meeting, qldwater offices, Eagle Farm