The Community Services and Health Industry Skills Council (ISC) is the national peak organisation for vocational skills development in the community services and health industries. One of the major roles of the ISC is development of the national industry qualifications in the HLT02 Health Training Package and CHC02 Community Services Training Package.

For the first time the Health Training Package includes eight qualifications, at several levels, covering the role of Aboriginal health worker and Torres Strait Islander health worker (health worker). Development of these qualifications commenced in 2002 following establishment of the National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Workforce Strategic Framework by the Australian Health Ministers’ Advisory Council (AHMAC). The Framework identified the need for a revised health worker recognised skills framework established within the vocational education and training (VET) system.

In developing the qualifications the ISC has worked closely with industry including the National Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation (NACCHO) who is the national peak Aboriginal health body representing Aboriginal community controlled health services throughout Australia; together with government sectors and unions.

The eight health worker qualifications include career pathways from Certificate II to Advanced Diploma level. The qualification pathways feature Certificate II and III level qualifications and then two streams of qualifications from Certificate IV to Advanced Diploma. The two streams are: Practice and Community Care.

The Practice stream reflects more clinically oriented work roles that include functions such as undertaking basic health care assessments and implementing basic health care. The Practice stream qualifications will, for example, form the basis of training for the licensed occupation of Aboriginal health worker in the Northern Territory.

The Community Care stream reflects more community oriented work roles and includes working with clients with mental health, alcohol and other drugs and family violence issues as well as health promotion, advocacy, liaison and community support.

Within the Community Care stream, Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander Health Workers will be nationally exposed to education and training regarding nutrition. The units that specifically contain this information are as follows:

• HLTAHW407A—Provide nutrition guidance for specific health care
• HLTAHW411A—Plan, develop and evaluate health promotion/education for Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander communities
• HLTAHW412A—Provide information and strategies to promote nutrition for good health
• HLTAHW429A—Provide healthy lifestyle programs and advice.