Training opportunities increase during COVID-19

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Training opportunities Strategix
Gordon Cooper practising social distancing while training on the forklift at Strategix.

Training opportunities in the Bundaberg Region have increased recently to help unemployed people, or those wanting to make the most of their time in isolation, to gain valuable skills during the current Coronavirus pandemic.

Bundaberg Regional Council, through the Regional Skills Investment Strategy and the Bundaberg Recovery Group, advise that there are a lot of opportunities for community members to gain new skills through training while people are under or unemployed, or for those just wanting to make the most of their isolation.

Both local and regional training organisations have moved quickly to accommodate for the need to socially isolate and adhere to the government requirement to maintain distancing.

Local training provider Strategix has moved to predominantly online training, including training in early childhood, food processing, forklift tickets, educational support and logistics.

Strategix Regional Business Development Manager Michelle Flynn said they were quick to adapt to a new way of teaching, working with individuals to make sure their needs were met.

“We have adapted to the COVID-19 situation by moving to an online platform for those who are able to service themselves online and at home,” Michelle said.

“For those who can’t access that platform, we are still providing training with social distancing in place.

“So, we really have a mixed bag scenario around training, with a detailed and specific approach for each individual.”

Michelle said Strategix always had a good training attendance record, but since the new COVID-19 regulations had come into place it has resulted in higher attendance because of the ability to learn online from home.

“If anything, our attendance has picked up, as we have the online learning available and then participants come in for the practical tests,” she said.

“We are dedicated in assisting students to change the course of their life and have a lot of lower level government funded C3 courses to enable them a stepping stone towards employment opportunities.”

Training opportunities moves to online classrooms

Strategix is not the only training organisation to move to online, with a number of others also moving to the external teaching platform.

TAFE Queensland has moved to online Zoom training, which is classroom training using an online platform. They are experiencing good enrolments. Nothing is closed and no training has stopped.

Construction Skills Queensland (CSQ) has a suite of training opportunities delivered by a raft of training organisations, which in most cases is government subsidised. They said now was the perfect time to take that step to improve future opportunities.

STEPS Group is offering Certificate III in Individual Support through Certificate III Guarantee funding, and Expressions of Interest are open now for interested parties.

APS Training Group are maintaining their full suite of courses, only with smaller class numbers to meet Government requirements. Courses include White Card, Security, First Aid and CPR. For more information phone 1300 880 604.

First Aid Response is still providing First Aid Courses online. Phone 1300 739 575 for more information.

IMPACT is holding its next information session for its Certificate III in Individual Support on Tuesday 14 April at 9.30am. They also hope to deliver non-accredited cleaning course within a few weeks. For information phone 4153 4233.

Tom Quinn Centre is currently running a Certificate I in Construction and a Certificate I in Conservation and Land Management. To find out more phone 4153 3557.

Central Queensland University can provide courses from First Aid/CPR to certificates and diplomas, undergraduate and postgraduate studies.