Unaccredited First Aid Training Exposed

First aid training is seen as a mere workplace requirement – another box to tick off in compliance checklists. But when an emergency strikes, that training can mean the difference between life and death. The recent crack down on unaccredited first aid providers in Australia has highlighted a growing concern: are the people we trust to act in an emergency actually qualified to do so?

The Australian Skills Quality Authority (ASQA) has been on a mission to weed out dodgy training providers issuing unverified first aid certifications. One high profile case was the deregistration of Australia Education & Career College which left more than 7,000 students scrambling to prove their qualifications were legitimate. Investigations found students were being handed diplomas without completing required coursework or assessments. It’s a scandal that raises a scary question – how many Australians are carrying first aid certificates that aren’t worth the paper they’re printed on?

This isn’t just about bureaucratic red tape. The dangers of unregulated training became frighteningly clear when Lachlan Gardner, a man falsely claiming to be a paramedic, was caught treating injured people at motorcycle events. He wasn’t trained. He wasn’t qualified. And yet for years people trusted him with their health. It’s a harsh reminder of what happens when we don’t enforce proper training standards.

In response Australian authorities have ramped up their efforts to tighten up the vocational training sector. The federal government recently shut down over 150 “ghost colleges” – registered training organisations that exist on paper but don’t provide actual education. Another 140 have been given warnings to clean up their act or face closure. These organisations were not only ripping off students but also exploiting visa loopholes allowing international students to stay in Australia without attending real classes.

So how can Australians be sure they’re getting attending an accredited first aid course? The first step is to check if a training provider is a Registered Training Organisation (RTO). ASQA has an online registry where you can check if an RTO is accredited. Safe Work Australia also says first aiders should hold a nationally recognised statement of attainment so their skills meet industry standards. It’s a simple check that could be the difference between life and death.Employers too have a part to play. Businesses that rely on staff with first aid certifications – whether in childcare, healthcare or construction – need to ensure their employees’ qualifications are real. Hiring someone with a fraudulent certificate isn’t just a compliance issue – it’s a liability risk. If an unqualified worker does the wrong first aid, the legal consequences could be severe.

At the heart of this is a simple issue: trust. When someone collapses in the workplace or at a public event, bystanders shouldn’t have to wonder if the nearest first aider actually knows what they’re doing. Compliance isn’t about bureaucracy – it’s about making sure when lives are on the line, the person stepping up to help actually can.

As authorities continue to clean up the sector, Australians need to do their part too. Whether you’re an employer, employee or someone who did a first aid course a few years ago, now is the time to check your certification is current. The next emergency could happen anywhere, anytime. And when it does, we need to know the person responding is ready, trained and qualified to act.