Australian Apprenticeships & Traineeships

Alcohol and Drugs Worker

Alcohol and Drugs Workers provide services to clients in relation to alcohol and other drug issues. Your work includes counselling, referral, advocacy, and education and health promotion services. You would have specialist knowledge, skills and abilities, especially in regard to laws affecting clients, the range of services available to them and health issues related to alcohol and drug use and misuse.

Summary of Training

Core Units - 16 required

  • Provide systems advocacy services
  • Work in an alcohol and other drugs context
  • Assess needs of client with alcohol and other drugs issues
  • Provide interventions for people with alcohol and other drugs issues
  • Develop strategies for alcohol and other drugs relapse prevention and management
  • Provide advanced interventions to meet the needs of clients with alcohol and other drug issues
  • Develop and review individual alcohol and other drugs treatment plans
  • Assess co-existing needs
  • Establish and manage client relationships
  • Work with diverse people
  • Provide services to people with co-existing mental health and alcohol and other drugs issues
  • Work effectively in trauma informed care
  • Research and apply evidence to practice
  • Collaborate in professional practice
  • Reflect on and improve own professional practice
  • Provide First Aid

Elective Units - 6 required

  • Work with clients who are intoxicated
  • Provide needle and syringe services
  • Provide early intervention, health prevention and promotion programs
  • Establish and confirm the counselling relationship
  • Meet statutory and organisation information requirements
  • Work collaboratively with the care network and other services

Please note that this Job & Training Description provides an example of the selection of non-core units. Alternative combinations of units may be selected and in some cases prerequisite units may need to be completed. For advice contact Apprenticeship Network providers or an approved Registered Training Organisation.

Job Pathways

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This occupation fits generally with these groupings

Industry Group
Health & Community Services

Work Type
Persuading & Enterprising
Social & Helping

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Employment and wage data for this industry

Commencements Change

The change in Australian Apprenticeships commencements in this overall industry in the past two years. Commencements in 22/23: 22712

Source: VOCSTATS, extracted on 18/10/2023. AATIS analysis.

Graduate Employment

Australian Apprentice graduates from this overall industry in employment (in any industry).

Source: NCVER National Student Outcomes Survey, 2020, unpublished. AATIS analysis.

Graduate Wage

Average wage of Australian Apprentice graduates from this overall industry employed full-time after training.

Source: NCVER National Student Outcomes Survey, 2020, unpublished. AATIS analysis.

Industry Growth

Predicted growth in employment in this overall industry over the next 5 years.

Source: National Skills Commission, 2022. AATIS analysis.

Industry Size

The number of employees in this overall industry compared with other Australian industries.

Source: National Skills Commission, 2022. AATIS analysis.

Industry Wage

Average wage of employees in this overall industry.

Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics, 2022. AATIS analysis.

Field Officer Briefs

Availability Information and More Details

Alcohol and Drugs Worker - CHC53215
NSW VIC QLD WA SA TAS ACT NT
Full Time

(Nominal Duration)

48 mths 24 mths 48 mths
Part Time
Commencements 0 0 0 0 0 10 0 0
ASbA
Classification * T T
Availability of Australian Apprenticeships and Nominal Duration (in months)

A = identified by the State or Territory as an Apprenticeship
T = identified by the State or Territory as a Traineeship
* = An approved qualification in Tasmania is available as an Apprenticeship/Traineeship.

A Qualification registered by a State or Territory as available as an Australian Apprenticeship may not be eligible for public funding support, check with the relevant State or Territory Training Authority.

Nominal durations listed are for full time occupations, stated in months. In some cases nominal durations provided may not include the completion of pre-requisites. This data is sourced from State and Territory Training Authorities and is provided for information only and must be confirmed with these authorities.

Commencements

Commencement data source: National Apprentices and Trainees collection, VOCSTATS, extracted 18/10/2023, rounded estimates for April 2022 to March 2023. This data is for general information purposes only.

Australian School-based Apprenticeships (ASbA)

This information generally reflects availability of ASbAs that may contribute to study scores. In some cases full-time or part-time ASbAs allow an individual to start training in a qualification that can be completed after they leave secondary school. Please note that applicable industrial arrangements must allow for ASbAs. Visit our Australian School-based Apprenticeships page for more detailed information.

ANZSCO Classification: 411712

Note: This is an indicative Australian and New Zealand Standard Classification of Occupations (ANZSCO) classification for this occupation, provided as a guide only.

Traning Package Rules Summary

To view detailed information on the packaging rules and pre-requisites for this qualification, click through to the My Skills website

Next Steps

Who to contact next ...

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Where to ask wages questions ...

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Training provider and incentives information

Each state and territory lists Registered Training Organisations they approve to deliver apprenticeships and traineeships. Access these sites here, as well as information on incentives.

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