The North Queensland Water Alliance recently secured QWRAP funding to support a Pilot Regional Training Hub for the delivery of Activated Sludge and Biological Nutrient Removal (AS/BNR) Course in North Queensland.
The AS/BNR Course is currently one of the only short course wastewater operational training packages available in Queensland for Operators. This course has traditionally been run out of Griffith University Campus in Brisbane, making access to this type of training cost prohibitive to northern and regional Queensland Councils.
QWRAP funding offset costs for participants and course presenter’s travel, accommodation and catering, and also supported an Administration Officer within Townsville City Council to facilitate the logistics. This allowed a significant cost saving to participating Councils. Overall, 20 students attended the course and provided positive feedback on the value of learning, learning outcomes and an appreciation of being able to do the course closer to home.
Well done and thank you to the Griffith University trainers Helen Stratton, Melody Christie and Peter Griffiths and to Elsa Dos Santos Antunes from James Cook University for generously hosting and opening JCU laboratory facilities to enable this course to run in north Queensland. This partnership and course were possible due to the drive of Anna Whelan and support from Jessica Arthy, Donna Pell and Lalji Rathod from Townsville City Council. Overall, it shows that this QWRAP project enabled strong regional collaboration maturity starting with NQ QWRAP Chair Joe Galea, Regional Coordinator Steve Martin and members identifying this training need for north Queensland.
We’re looking forward to support the next AS/BNR Course in North Queensland or any other QWRAP region who are willing and able to host one.
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