Developing tomorrow's workforce

Launched in 2013, the Change Agent Network was Australia’s first program to develop leadership skills in Victorian AOD workers, empowering them to drive cultural and practice change.

Participants come from across the system - community health, Aboriginal health, men’s and women’s health, addiction medicine, youth and family services - building leadership capacity and expertise in every corner of the sector.

A core aim was to turn evidence, policy and legislation into everyday clinical practice, directly supporting the Victorian Department of Health’s Alcohol and Drug Workforce Framework. By building leaders across services, the program strengthens and sustains Victoria’s AOD workforce, equipping it to deliver better care now and into the future.

Through our partnership with Monash University, we deliver graduate programs in addictive behaviours, including a Masters of Addictive Behaviours program launched in 2014.

Designed for professionals across health, social welfare, education, government and policy, many students are practicing clinicians and workers seeking to strengthen their applied skills in understanding and addressing addiction.

Since their launch, the Masters, Graduate Diploma and Graduate Certificate programs have equipped more than 600 graduates with advanced knowledge in addiction science, treatment and policy. The courses consistently receive strong feedback, reflecting their real-world relevance and impact in shaping a skilled workforce to improve responses to addiction locally and globally.

Via an eight-year, Victorian Government–funded partnership between the Australian Nursing and Midwifery Federation (ANMF Vic Branch) and Turning Point, more than 4000 nurses have received specialist AOD training and education, including 40 scholarships for postgraduate study in addictive behaviours .

Delivered as a mix of workshops, masterclasses, scholarships, and graduate studies, this program equips nurses across clinical settings with advanced, evidence-based knowledge in alcohol and other drug care, an essential enhancement to their practice .

Feedback has been overwhelmingly positive: almost 90% of participants report they can directly apply learned skills in their day-to-day work, demonstrating the program’s relevance and effectiveness 

Most doctors receive little training in addiction during their undergraduate studies, leaving a major gap in the health system. Turning Point is helping to change this by supporting both general and specialist pathways for doctors to build expertise and confidence in treating addiction.

We lead the pipeline of addiction medical specialists by running multiple national programs for trainees and registrars. Since 2020, our bi-national Advanced Addiction Trainees Program has engaged 80 doctors across Australia and New Zealand, while we also oversee the Victorian training program.

Beyond specialist pathways, we facilitate placements for psychiatric and elective medical students, sparking interest in addiction medicine early and building awareness across the broader healthcare workforce.

Together, these initiatives ensure more doctors are equipped to respond compassionately and effectively to addiction, strengthening care across the system.

Find out more in the Impact Story below.

Accredited in 2000, Turning Point was Victoria’s first industry-based Registered Training Organisation (RTO) in the AOD sector, setting the standard for workforce development.

For over two decades, our Vocational Education and Training (VET) programs have led the way in professionalising the sector, delivering nationally recognised qualifications that build skills and confidence.

With more than 2,300 competency units completed in the Certificate IV in Alcohol and Other Drugs or the AOD Skill Set, thousands of workers across health, community and related fields are now equipped to deliver up-to-date, person-centred care to individuals, families and communities affected by addiction.

Launched in 2018, our internship program was created to inspire the next generation of AOD professionals. Running twice a year, it offers tertiary students a 14-week, 150-hour placement combining clinical observation with hands-on skills training through VET competency units.

So far, 142 students across 13 cohorts have completed the program, gaining valuable experience and insight into working in the AOD field—and helping to build the workforce of the future.