A five-year regional initiative has wrapped up with a lasting legacy of 187 newly qualified Water Industry Workers and Treatment Operators across North Queensland, including several from the Burdekin.
The Water Industry Worker Program (WIWP), first launched in 2019, was developed to address the growing need for skilled water industry professionals across regional Queensland. Delivered by training specialists Simmonds & Bristow, the program began as a pilot with five councils: Mackay, Townsville, Whitsunday, Cairns and the Burdekin.
Simmonds & Bristow trainer Liz Millan said Burdekin’s participation in the pilot program helped shape what would grow into one of Queensland’s largest-scale training efforts.
“I had been talking to Townsville City Council about a Water Industry program since around April 2018,” Ms Millan said.
“Despite lots of discussions throughout the year for North Queensland training clusters, it amounted to nothing as the councils struggled to consolidate their needs.”
By September 2019, training in Townsville had officially begun. Participants from the Burdekin trained locally on the same infrastructure they would eventually work on, ensuring their learning was directly relevant to their future roles.
Following the pilot’s success, the program expanded to 11 councils across the state, running for five rounds and achieving a 90% completion rate.
Burdekin Shire Council’s continued involvement demonstrated the region’s commitment to investing in a skilled, local workforce to manage critical water and wastewater infrastructure.
The program has not only strengthened council capabilities but also provided long-term job security for regional workers, cementing Burdekin’s part in a statewide success story.
Approximately 200 newly qualified Water Industry Workers and Treatment Operators for north Queensland have entered the workforce (Photo Supplied)
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