When Victoria emerges from the coronavirus pandemic, businesses and workers need to ensure they can safely reopen and engage with customers, and the training courses will upskill customer-facing employees in critical industry sectors.

After completion of the training, they will be able to confidently follow standard and additional precautions for infection prevention and control, identify infection hazards and assess risks, and follow procedures for managing risks associated with specific hazards.

Participants will learn a range of skills, including:

• Hand hygiene practices
• Effective surface cleaning
• Use of personal protective equipment
• Disposal of contaminated waste
• Hazard identification, control and reporting
• Appropriate protocols and responses in the event of an incident
• Knowledge regarding the basis of infection and transmission

The Victorian and Commonwealth Governments are funding the delivery of the training to help workers administer and implement infection control policies and procedures within workplaces.

The course will support businesses to reopen safely and continue to control the outbreak of coronavirus across critical industry areas. The course is not mandatory for businesses to reopen; however, employers are be encouraged to release their staff for the free training.

It is expected that up to 20,000 Victorian workers will access the free training, which combines online learning with workplace-based assessment.

In the first phase of delivery, Victorian TAFEs and eligible RTOs with Skills First contracts have been allocated training places. Enrolments can be made now, and all contracted providers will commence delivery as soon as possible.

For more information, visit the Victorian Skills Gateway website or call the TAFE and Training line on 13 18 23.