Free AOD Workforce Training 2026 for Victorian Workers

Turning Point (RTO 6948) has opened expressions of interest for free AOD workforce training running from 6 July to 28 August 2026. The unit, CHCAOD001 Work in an Alcohol and Other Drugs Context, targets workers already active in Victoria’s alcohol and drug sector. It gives participants a firm grounding in the philosophy, values, and context that shape effective alcohol and drug sector training and service delivery. Furthermore, with substance misuse still ranking among Victoria’s most urgent public health issues, this opportunity could not come at a better time.

According to the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, alcohol and other drugs contribute to roughly 5.1 per cent of Australia’s total disease burden. As a result, demand for workers who genuinely understand the AOD environment continues to rise steadily year on year.

What AOD Workforce Training Covers

This unit of competency equips workers with the foundational knowledge to operate confidently within an AOD setting. It targets those in client-facing roles and builds a thorough understanding of how the sector functions, the values that drive it, and the frameworks that guide service delivery.

The course uses a blended delivery model. Specifically, it combines self-directed online learning through a Moodle-based Learning Management System with live virtual classes. Participants need to attend three virtual sessions from 9:30am to 1:00pm on:

Wednesday 15 July 2026
Wednesday 22 July 2026
Wednesday 5 August 2026

Beyond the virtual sessions, each participant also completes a one-hour live simulation. Trainers schedule this individually between 9:00am and 4:00pm on an allocated day.

Who Can Apply for This Alcohol and Drug Sector Training

To join this AOD workforce training, applicants must meet the following criteria:

Currently hold employment in a Victorian Department of Health funded AOD service
Work in an AOD role within a publicly funded organisation
Hold Australian Citizenship, Permanent Residency, or New Zealand Citizenship

Eligible participants pay nothing. The Victorian Department of Health fully funds the course, so financial barriers do not prevent frontline AOD workers from accessing professional development.

However, this is an expression of interest only, not a confirmed enrolment. Applicants receive an email once staff process and assess their registration.

Turning Point’s AOD Workforce Credentials

Turning Point brings genuine authority to this AOD workforce training. Its trainers hold direct sector experience and meet the training and assessment standards set out under the Australian Quality Training Framework (AQTF). Consequently, the content reflects real-world AOD practice rather than abstract theory.

Moreover, this combination of sector credibility and formal assessment rigour makes the course a practical continuing professional development option. Workers who complete it gain a clearer understanding of the sector they serve and the communities that depend on them.

Why AOD Workforce Training Matters Now

Victoria continues to invest in its publicly funded AOD service network. The sector draws on thousands of workers across residential withdrawal, counselling, outreach, and community health settings. Nevertheless, workforce capability still plays a decisive role in the quality of care that people affected by alcohol and drugs receive.

Structured alcohol and drug sector training gives workers the conceptual tools to handle complex client situations, work within established frameworks, and lift overall service quality. For newer entrants especially, a unit like CHCAOD001 makes a meaningful difference in day-to-day practice.

Research from Victoria’s Health and Human Services further highlights this point. Services that invest in workforce competency see better engagement outcomes with clients and lower rates of unplanned service exits. In other words, trained workers deliver measurably better results.

How to Register

Workers interested in this AOD workforce training should submit an expression of interest through the online registration portal. Once the application processes, successful applicants receive a confirmation email.

For further queries, contact Student Administration at tp@turningpoint.org.au.

The Victorian Department of Health supports this training.

Source: mailchi