Skills eFlash #138

Skills eFlash #138 New

Date: 06-Aug-2025

Water Skills Partnership Meeting

Thanks to those who joined us for the Water Skills Partnership meeting on Thursday 17 July where we gathered input to shape upcoming webinars and Micro-Credential offerings.

Col Hester presented on the Drinking Water Quality Management Plan Micro-Credential Training and called for expressions of interest for regional delivery in multiple locations. Please contact Sarah if your Council would like to participate.

We also welcomed guest speaker Steven Nash from CAF Consulting who presented on a potential trial of their Encapsulation Pipe Reline system which involves pipe reaming of AC pipelines.

WSP meeting minutes are posted to the WSP Zoho Forum – please contact Sarah to be added to the group if you don’t have access.

The next meeting is scheduled for 11 September.

Hot off the press: 2024 Urban Water Workforce Snapshot Report

Last week we released our eighth biennial Workforce Composition Snapshot Report, offering the most detailed analysis yet of Queensland’s urban water sector.

This year’s report highlights urgent challenges and emerging opportunities in workforce planning, training, and diversity across the state. Based on data from 42 Water Service Providers, representing over 70% of the sector, the Snapshot reveals:

Gender diversity gaps – Women make up just 10% of the operational workforce and 2% of supervisors, though growth in scientific roles shows promise.
Regional renewal needs – SEQ utilities are leading in succession planning and early-career engagement, while regional areas lag behind.
Training system limitations – The current National Water Training Package is no longer fit-for-purpose, with fragmented pathways and access issues, especially in remote areas.
Critical vacancies and burnout – High vacancy rates are impacting wellbeing, safety, and infrastructure maintenance, particularly in regional councils.
Call for strategic reform – we are advocating for a trade-level apprenticeship pathway and more flexible, fit-for-purpose training solutions.

The message is clear: incremental change is no longer enough. We need bold, collaborative action to build a resilient, skilled, and inclusive workforce that can meet the demands of an increasingly complex operating environment.

Read or download the full report here.

EOI: TAE Qualification Support for Water Supervisors

We’re looking at ways to boost regional training access and are seeking expressions of interest from councils who may be willing to support one of their Water Operator Supervisors to complete the TAE40122 Certificate IV in Training and Assessment.

The goal? Build internal training capability that supports:

Local, on-site delivery of accredited qualifications
Faster enrolments and reduced travel for staff
Stronger leadership through supervisors teaching and mentoring others
A more cost-effective and sustainable way to meet training needs across the region

We’re not suggesting councils become RTOs – rather, that qualified supervisors partner with an RTO (potentially through an existing training provider) to support regional delivery.

If your council is interested in being part of this regional capability uplift, please get in touch with Sarah via email or give her a call. We'd love to chat about how this could work in your area.

WIOA Awards

Each year qldwater sponsors the Operator of the Year (Civil/Allrounder) and the Young Operator of the Year Awards at the WIOA QLD Conference. This year the event will take place on 29-30 October in Bundaberg.

This is your opportunity to show your staff that you appreciate their commitment to the essential water and sewerage services that keep our communities running.

Past winners have consistently confirmed that the awards changed their lives, and possibly their career prospects. The 2024 Young Operator of the Year, Luke Reid, said winning the award expanded his horizons to avenues he hadn’t thought were possible before. His journey from plumber to YOOTY is a story of hard work, dedication, and a passion for learning. His achievements serve as an inspiration not only to his peers but also to the next generation of water professionals.

According to Ross Watt, 2024 Operator of the Year (Civil/Allrounder), recognition is a wonderful thing. “When I heard the award wrap read out, it felt great to be valued and appreciated. Nominating someone for this award shows faith in your employees and also helps to get recognition for your local team.”

Do you have a team member who goes above and beyond? Someone who embodies excellence, innovation, and community spirit? Now is the time to recognise their contributions.

Complete the nomination forms here.

HR/IR Collaborative Network Meeting

We’ll be hosting our second annual HR/IR Collaborative Network Meeting from 9.30 to 12.30 on 28 August at the qldwater office in Eagle Farm.

The agenda includes the review of and discussions around the latest Workforce Snapshot Report, information about a strategic roadmap and future investment opportunities for water skills projects, and an introduction to the new SWIMSkillsTM tool.

More information and RSVP here.

Water Training Update

We have engaged My Learning Space to refresh all our Card courses to ensure that the course materials are accessible and inclusive. The update will deliver the courses in SCORM (Sharable Content Object Reference Model) format; a set of technical standards for e-learning content which ensures online training materials work consistently across any compatible LMS. We have had requests from our members to provide SCORM files in the past, and we are looking forward to being able to do so in the near future.

Sarah will be sending out emails this week to councils, reporting on this quarter’s enrolments into our online safety induction courses.

HR questions on HPWJ answered

The requirement to complete the Grey Card (asbestos awareness) course alongside the High Pressure Water Jetting (HPWJ) Skill Set stems directly from conditions set by the Office of Industrial Relations (OIR). The exemption that permits the high-pressure water jetting of asbestos cement sewer pipes in Queensland mandates that: “All workers directly involved with high-pressure water jetting of asbestos sewer pipe infrastructure must complete an appropriate asbestos awareness training course prior to commencing the work.” The exemption also outlines further compliance requirements, including supervisor qualifications, adherence to a Safe Work Method Statement, decontamination protocols, and regular audits.

In addition, HPWJ is classified as a high-risk activity by Safe Work Australia. Training must be delivered through a Registered Training Organisation (RTO) and comply with Australian Standard AS4233. The recommended skill set for this work is MSMSS00019 – Operate a Drain Cleaning System, which includes nationally recognised units directly aligned with safe and legal HPWJ operations. This qldwater training, in conjunction with TrainRight, ensures compliance with Queensland WHS legislation, Australian Standards, and the regulator’s asbestos exemption conditions, helping to safeguard both workers and the organisation from significant safety and legal risks.

A copy of the full exemption decision can be downloaded from the qldwater website.

Showcasing Water Careers at the Western Downs Careers Expo

Sarah recently attended the Western Downs Careers Expo, supporting Western Downs Regional Council in promoting careers within their Water Utilities division. It was a great chance to speak with students about the important role Water Industry Operators play in keeping our communities running.

We handed out qldwater’s Water Industry Operator flyers alongside Western Downs Regional Council’s current vacancy listings and work experience request forms (not to mention blue lollypops). This practical approach was a standout, giving school leavers a direct pathway to learn more about the industry and potentially step into a career in local government.

Well done to WDRC for their proactive approach. Fingers crossed we see a wave of new interest in these vital roles!

Contact Sarah if you would like support for your local careers fair.

Industry Skills and Jobs Advisor (ISJA) Update

The Queensland Water Industry Reference Group (QWIRG) met in July, providing input and feedback into project progress managed by the ISJA, Cass Cowley, over the past few months.

Economic data shows that employment participation of 15-64 year olds is now at approximately 81%. Employment and workforce issues are being felt by industries far and wide, but the QWIRG is uniquely placed to focus solely on the water sector. The group recognised employers are wanting attraction to be prioritised and that when it comes to skilling staff, the predominant driver is regulatory activity.

An initial scan of data shows that most water qualification training enrolments are males aged 36 years, indicating the sector could benefit from attraction activity aimed at young people and getting curious about female participation.

Over the next quarter Cass will be focussing on ANZSIC and OSCA codes. Want to be part of these conversations, have your voice heard or have questions about the project? Contact Cass at ccowley@qldwater.com.au or 0437 495 085.

The Industry Skills and Jobs Advisor Program is supported and funded by the Queensland Government.

ARC Training Centre for Climate Resilient Water

The ARC Industrial Transformation Training Centre announced the award of the ARC Training Centre for Climate Resilient Water last week.

This new Centre will be led by Director Steven Kenway at The University of Queensland's UQ Australian Centre for Water and Environmental Biotechnology (formerly AWMC) and Deputy Director Brian McIntosh at Griffith University's International WaterCentre and Griffith Science and Environment.

qldwater is one of 26 partner organisations representing the water supply sector in Queensland, New South Wales, nationally and internationally alongside 4 Australian (QLD and NSW) Universities, 1 US University and a European research partner.

With a total of $8.75m in cash and more than $10m of resources in-kind we look forward to creating a platform to help drive the science, technology, planning and people transformations that will build climate resilience into our water supply systems over the next 5 years.

The aim of the centre is to collaboratively train new leaders to transform water governance, existing water supply reliability, and new supply system options, leaving a national legacy and repository of training resources, tools, technology, policy, on-site innovations and real-time monitoring and treatment of water. Collectively this will improve the resilience and circular economy of water systems.