Top 5 Shortlist in the Queensland Training Awards

Civil Safety: A Top 5 Shortlist in the Large Training Provider of the Year category

At Civil Safety, our mission has always been clear—deliver high-quality, innovative training that transforms lives and meets the real-world needs of students, industry and the wider community. We’re excited to share that we have just reached the Top 5 shortlist in the Queensland Training Awards 2025 in the category of Large Training Provider of the Year.

A Legacy of Safety and Excellence

As a long-standing Registered Training Organisation (RTO), Civil Safety has always placed student safety, education, and success at the heart of what we do. We understand the high-stakes nature of the industries we train for and the importance of quality training that prepares individuals for the real demands of dangerous work environments.

Our trainers bring decades of hands-on industry experience to every classroom, combining deep technical expertise with the ability to communicate, motivate and mentor. This ensures our graduates leave us not only with a Certificate in hand, but with the confidence, skills and practical know-how to hit the ground running.

Quality at Scale: Powered by People

Civil Safety has grown significantly, with a core team of 63 full-time professionals supported by more than 100 part-time, contract and casual staff. Together, this team delivers specialist training programs to thousands of students every year.

Our dedicated compliance team ensures the highest standards in assessment and support. We don’t just tick boxes—we invest in the systems and people required to maintain quality, support learner success, and ensure our training consistently delivers desirable outcomes like course completion and job placement.

Tailored, Flexible and Industry-Focused

What truly sets Civil Safety apart is our ability to adapt. Our training programs aren’t one-size-fits-all—they’re built in collaboration with industry and customised to meet specific workforce requirements. Whether our client is a large mining company, regional Council, Government Corrections Department or a small construction firm, we design training solutions that align with their schedules, priorities, and goals.

Our approach is agile and client-first. While many RTOs require board approval or lengthy delays to respond to training requests, our internal systems allow us to mobilise quickly. We can turn around new courses within a week—something few competitors can offer.

Innovation that Reaches Everyone

Innovation sits at the core of our operation. We were early pioneers in online training and continue to lead in this space by improving the student experience through flexible, technology-enabled learning. But our commitment to innovation doesn’t stop at the screen.

We’ve developed mobile training units equipped with everything needed to deliver high-risk training—Working at Heights, Confined Space, and more—in some of Queensland’s most remote communities. We’ve delivered programs in places like Doomadgee and Napranum, ensuring that geographic isolation is never a barrier to receiving life-changing qualifications.

We also invest heavily in our face-to-face offerings, attracting top-tier trainers who are passionate about education. These trainers are the heart of our engagement model—especially for learners who may have struggled with traditional schooling or who bring barriers such as low literacy or a history of incarceration.

Real Outcomes, Fast

Our commitment to outcomes is unmatched. When students complete their training, they receive their certificates within 24 hours—not the 10-day turnaround often seen elsewhere. This means they can start work the very next day, contributing immediately to their employer and the economy.

We support students from all walks of life, with a special focus on disadvantaged groups including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, at-risk youth, and individuals in the justice system. Many of our students face unique challenges—and we ensure they’re not left behind.

From flexible learning pathways to culturally safe environments, we’ve adapted our delivery to meet students where they’re at. For example, we’ve redesigned assessments to be delivered verbally for students with low literacy, boosting both engagement and retention.

Industry-Driven Course Design

Our Founder, Robert Kerridge, plays an active role in ensuring that our training remains aligned with the evolving needs of industry. He regularly meets with employer groups and industry stakeholders to ensure our programs are aligned with job market needs.

This ongoing collaboration means we’re able to respond quickly to workforce trends and deliver training that’s both current and relevant. Whether we’re training steel fixers from Mongolia for the Whittens Group or upskilling workers for major mining operations, our course design process starts with the end goal in mind—helping people succeed in their roles.

We also maintain strong partnerships with regional Councils, government departments, and private companies across Queensland and beyond. These relationships inform our course content, delivery schedules and student support strategies.

Measurable Success

We measure our success through a robust suite of indicators including student satisfaction, completion rates, post-training employment data, and independent validations. From 2011 to 2025, we’ve trained more than 100,000 students—and our completion and employment rates consistently outperform industry averages.

Over 90% of our course completion surveys have informed the development of future training products, with more than 80% of our graduates securing full-time, part-time, or casual employment after completing their training.

Continual Improvement and Compliance

We don’t believe in resting on our laurels. Continuous improvement is a cornerstone of our business. We conduct regular product reviews and program evaluations to ensure our courses remain effective and student-centred. We actively seek student feedback and use it to refine both content and delivery.

Our compliance team ensures best practice is maintained across all operations. As a long-standing RTO, we uphold all regulatory obligations under the Australian Skills Quality Authority (ASQA), and our quality assurance processes exceed standard benchmarks.

Changing Lives Across Communities

Our growth story is underpinned by a strong sense of purpose. From humble beginnings, we now deliver training to hundreds of organisations across diverse industries—including mining, construction, civil, agriculture, logistics, health and safety, and rural operations.

We are also addressing deeper societal issues, such as unemployment, recidivism, and social exclusion. Our work with Queensland Corrective Services and our innovative approaches to supporting at-risk students is creating real pathways to employment and long-term change.

We believe that changing one student’s life changes many—because the ripple effect spreads to families, communities, and future generations.

Training the Workforce of the Future

“Being recognised as a Top 5 Shortlisted organisation in the Queensland Training Awards Large Training Provider of the Year category is more than just a milestone for us – it’s a reflection of our values in action. We are proud of what we’ve achieved, and we remain focused on what comes next: delivering innovative, practical, and impactful training that empowers individuals and builds safer, more capable communities.

“Being named in the Top 5 shortlist for Large Training Provider of the Year is an incredible honour and a reflection of the hard work and commitment of our entire team. At Civil Safety, we’re proud to deliver training that not only builds real skills, but also creates meaningful pathways to employment – particularly for at-risk individuals and Indigenous students. This recognition highlights the impact of our inclusive, industry-led training in changing lives, and how we help to strengthen the local communities we operate in across Queensland”. – Robert Kerridge CEO Civil Safety.

To learn more about our work and impact, please watch our short video below on how we are changing lives.