Frequently asked questions

We currently only take bookings via email firstaidtraining@ambulance.qld.gov.au or phone 07 3873 3334, but this may be adjusted in the future.

It is recommended to wear comfortable closed in footwear and casual clothes. Throughout all units of competency offered by QAS an element of bending, kneeling and sometimes laying on the floor will be required. For modesty it is recommended that very loose or low-cut necklines are avoided due to the requirement to lean forward whilst undertaking chest compressions on a mannikin.

We suggest you bring a pen, notepad and a bottle of water.

QAS does not provide lunch or snacks at any public or private course and as such we advise all students to bring their own food. Certain venues may offer food to be purchased on site or venues may be in close proximity to shops and/or cafes. Individual sites do vary, further information may be sought after making a booking.

CPR requires students to perform several physical skills that need a reasonable level of mobility.

Students must “Perform at least 2 minutes of uninterrupted single rescuer cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) (5 cycles of both compressions and ventilations) on an adult resuscitation manikin placed on the floor.”

The QAS RTO recognises that some students have first aid training obligations for the workplace. Students affected by the physical capability requirements are requested to discuss their training requirements with QAS RTO before enrolling on a course.

Please contact the training support staff to discuss your needs: firstaidtraining@ambulance.qld.gov.au.

If you are under the age of 18 you must:

• obtain the permission of a parent or guardian to attend
• have your parent or guardian complete the Parent/Guardian Consent Form and Student Enrolment Form.

Additionally, if you are under the age of 16 you must have an adult accompany you to the course (they can be a paid course participant or a chaperone).

The reason for adult approval is due to the QAS RTO courses containing graphic images, some of which are taken from real life situations, and detailed pictorial and verbal references to body parts. This content matter may be offensive to some sectors of the community, particularly children and certain social groups.

QAS recommends 14 years of age as the minimum age for students enrolling in first aid courses. It is also worth keeping in mind that a very young person may have insufficient strength in their arms and shoulders to depress a manikin to achieve competency in CPR. In such cases, QAS is happy to have the participant attend the course and issue a Statement of Attendance rather than a Statement of Attainment. This approach enables the student to gain knowledge and may be able to put this into practice in a real-life event. As the Australian Resuscitation Council states ‘Any attempt at resuscitation is better than no attempt’.

If you have individual and/or additional support needs, please contact the administration team on firstaidtraining@ambulance.qld.gov.au or call 07 3873 3334 and we will arrange for a QAS booking manager to chat with you privately to gain a clearer understanding of your needs and how best to support you in your course.

Please notify the QAS RTO as soon as possible if you need to cancel your enrolment, preferably in writing to firstaidtraining@ambulance.qld.gov.au. If you cancel your enrolment after the course has commenced, you may not be eligible for a full refund. In these circumstances consider suspending your enrolment and re-commencing at another date. An administration fee of up to 25% of the quoted charges may apply to ensure cost recovery for QAS if the client advises of their inability to continue with a booked course with less than seven (7) business days notice prior to the course commencement date. More information on refunds and cancellations can be found by visiting Fees Charges and Refunds Policy.

The QAS RTO reserves the right to cancel/postpone any course that does not meet the minimum enrolment requirements or if other circumstances exist that require course cancellation or postponement. QAS will endeavour to provide students with as much notice as possible if a course is going to be cancelled/postponed.

Due to the proximity of students undertaking training and the sharing of equipment, you should not attend at a booked course if you feel in anyway unwell.

QAS understands that emergencies, both physical and family related, do happen. As such we will gladly transfer you to a later course in the event of such circumstances.

Read more about fees, charges and refunds.

QAS RTO is a Registered Training Organisation approved by ASQA (Australian Skills Authority Quality) to deliver VET courses. As an RTO, the QAS RTO complies with the legislative requirements under VET Quality Frameworks which comprise of:

• Standards for Registered Training Organisations (RTO) 2015
• Australian Qualification Framework
• Fit and Proper Person Requirements 2011
• Financial Viability Risk Assessment Requirements 2011
• Data Provision Requirements 2020.

The QAS RTO obligations to students are:

• to provide you with clear information about your course including entry requirements, fees, and training and assessment loads
• to provide quality training and assessment which upholds the requirements in the Standards for RTOs 2015
• to work with a focus on continuous improvement that responds to the needs of industry and experience of our students
• to provide instructors that are qualified and meet expectations of professional and ethical behaviour at all times
• to provide you with clear and accessible feedback regarding learning and assessment progress and outcomes
• to maintain procedures that protect your personal information
• to issue AQF certification documentation when you have been deemed competent in the unit(s) that you have been enrolled into
• to work within a framework of continuous improvement that responds to the needs of industry and the experience of our students
• to effectively develop and manage transition arrangements for students in instances of training product changes and/or QAS RTO scope changes.

The QAS RTO updates transcripts quarterly.

The Queensland Ambulance Service (QAS) has General Liability insurance with the Queensland Government Insurance Fund (QGIF) for an unlimited sum.  This cover is extended to include holders of QAS first aid certificates and provides coverage anywhere in Australia.

For more information on the terms and conditions of the QGIF policy, please contact FirstAidTraining@ambulance.qld.gov.au

Your statement of attainment will be issued to you electronically via email within 30 days of successful completion of your course, provided the QAS RTO has been supplied:

1. full payment of course
2. verified Unique Student identifier (USI) or a letter issue by Student Identifiers Registrar confirming the student does not need a USI to receive their qualification or statement of attainment.

Contact firstaidtraining@ambulance.qld.gov.au by email to arrange the issuance of a new certificate.

No, the QAS RTO can only issue your Statement of Attainment to the student who has been assessed as meeting the requirements of the training product.

In accordance with the Code of Practice – First aid in the workplace, training in CPR (HLTAID009/HLTAID015) should be carried out annually (every 12 months).

We will provide 3 attempts for each assessment. The initial assessment and 2 reassessments. This is provided at no additional cost. Only the section of the scenario in which the student was deemed not yet satisfactory, requires reassessment.

If the student is not deemed competent after 3 attempts, the student has the option to be provided a Statement of Attendance (non-accredited) or can pay for additional training and assessment. Please refer to the full course fees for re-assessment.

The QAS RTO currently offers only face to face First Aid training but this may be adjusted in the future.

There is less demand for advanced courses, so these are arranged on an as required basis.  Please contact us to discuss your needs and we will be happy to assist you. firstaidtraining@ambulance.qld.gov.au

A Unique Student Identifier (USI) is a reference number that creates an online record of your training and qualifications attained in Australia. Having a USI, or a valid exemption, is a requirement for the issuance of your statement of attainment.

Further information may be found at: https://www.usi.gov.au/

We ensure that all complaints and appeals are recorded, acknowledged and dealt with fairly, efficiently and effectively.

We encourage and collect feedback on our performance and acknowledges the rights of the public, external clients and our employees to express their dissatisfaction with a decision made or a service provided by us, and that will assist in improving the delivery of the QAS RTO courses.

If you have a complaint or other feedback, there are some steps that can help us to help you:

1. Act quickly – talk to someone as soon as possible, as the longer you wait the less clear the facts become and the harder it can be to find a solution.
2. Go local – contact your Course Coordinator or the QAS Education Centre. Talking to someone in charge can often result in resolving any concerns quickly and easily.
3. Make it clear – describe the issue in detail, including all information that may be relevant to the concern. This might include dates, times and what action has been taken so far. You may also want to include what outcome you are seeking and the action you would like taken.

For more information on how to make a complaint please refer the QAS web site.

We will acknowledge your complaint in person, by phone, letter or email no later than 5 calendar days from the receipt of the complaint and aims to respond to you within 30 days. If a more detailed investigation is required for complex issues, we will keep you informed of the progress.

If you are not satisfied that the QAS RTO has managed your complaint appropriately, you can refer to the national regulator, Australian Skills Quality Authority (ASQA).

An appeal is an application for review of an unfavourable assessment decision. An appeal must be made in writing and must specify sufficient details of the decision to support the assessment appeal request.

Appeals must be lodged within 28 working days from when the student was informed of the assessment decision.

The appeals procedure has the following stages:

1. An informal meeting between you and your course coordinator and / or assessor is held to attempt to resolve the appeal to both party’s satisfaction. This may be a debrief or feedback session post assessment.
2. Formally present your case in writing to the Course Coordinator. We will acknowledge your request for appeal no later than 5 calendar days from the receipt of the appeal and aim to respond to you within 30 days. If a more detailed investigation is required, we will keep you informed of the progress.
3. If you are not satisfied that the QAS RTO has managed your appeal suitably you can refer your appeal to the national regulator Australian Skills Quality Authority (ASQA).