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brought to you by the Queensland Water Skills Partnership |
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Now in its ninth year, the Annual Water Skills Forum on 19 March 2026 arrived at a critical moment for the industry. Workforce capability challenges, highlighted again in the latest Workforce Snapshot Survey, show growing skills shortages, an ageing workforce, and an urgent need for contemporary training that genuinely reflects the work being done on the ground.
This year's theme, Training today. Sustaining tomorrow. reflects the momentum gathering across councils, RTOs, regulators and industry to strengthen the training pipeline. From expanding unit availability in the NWP and civil packages, to developing new micro-credentials and revising qualifications to better match operational reality, the sector is aligning behind a shared goal: ensuring water operators have the skills and recognition to safely and effectively deliver essential services to all Queensland communities.
The event kicked off with a pre-forum welcome function on Wednesday 18 March at the Blackbird Bar Terrace Room.
We thank the following speakers for participating on the day and sharing their engaging content.
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Forum Day - Thursday 19 March | |
Welcome by qldwater CEO, Dr Georgina Davis Why this forum exists now – and why workforce conversations can't be deferred any longer. | |
| Official Opening The Honorable Amanda Stoker MP Assistant Minister for Finance, Trade, Employment and Training | |
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Kielly Glanville – WSP Chair The Importance of the Water Skills Partnership Why collaboration — not competition — is the only way small and large utilities survive future skills gaps. | |
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Session 1: Why Change is Unavoidable | |
Belinda Cridge – Water New Zealand Organisation NZ Skills Review Why New Zealand restructured water training — and what happens when yesterday’s assumptions no longer fit tomorrow’s systems. Download the presentation | |
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Dane Ivicevic – UQ Skills Ag Sector RTO experience What breaks when training systems focus on compliance alone — and how RTOs adapt to remain sustainable. Download the presentation | |
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Talei Ligairi – Head of Governance and HR at the Water Authority of Fiji The Journey to Training Reform in Fiji Evidence from other industries on attracting, supporting, and retaining a more diverse worforce. | |
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Session 2: Building Workforces that Last | |
Associate Professor Erica French – QUT Business School Equality, Diversity and Inclusion in the Water Sector Download the presentation | |
James Foden – Telos Co Insights into Workforce Challenges What conditions, behaviours and cultural settings help people step forward — and stay. Download the presentation | |
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Andrew Horgan – Skills Insight Ag Trade Apprenticeship Review What forced change, what survived implementation and what the water sector can learn from it. Download the presentation | |
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Session 3: When Training Meets Reality | |
Liz Hester – Trainee at Seqwater What “training today” actually feels like to the workforce we’re trying to retain in South East Queensland. Download the presentation | |
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Ethan Leeds – TrainRight High Pressure Water Jetting – High Risk Work When training fails, people get seriously injured or killed - and regional services lose capability overnight. Download the presentation | |
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Matt Gosper – Young Operator of the Year, Mackay Regional Council Same system. Same training. Same experience? Download the presentation | |
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Session 4: Learning, Design, and What We Can Change | |
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Cass Cowley – Industry Skills and Jobs Advisor Workforce Insight 2026 Training only sustains the workforce if people actually stay — understanding attrition from the apprentice’s seat. Download the presentation | |
| Paul Callaghan – Oleology Designing Systems for Consistent, Reliable Operation How system design can support people to do the right thing, every time. Download the presentation | |
| Sarah Henry - qldwater Training Today, Sustaining Tomorrow A year on from the Snapshot Report — what’s changed, what hasn’t, and what still needs courage. Download the presentation | |
| Round Up and Close | |
Thanks to our sponsors:
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Breaks Sponsor 
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Coffee Cart Sponsor 
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Speakers Gifts Sponsor 
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