• The first trainees as part of a program to boost the country’s biosecurity have been welcomed to Charles Sturt in Wagga Wagga

Today Charles Sturt University welcomed the first trainees to the new  Biosecurity Training Centre (BTC) on our Wagga Wagga campus.

It was announced in April that the University’s staff will train more than 300 biosecurity officers in the BTC’s first year of operation, helping to build a skilled, future-ready Australian workforce in biosecurity.

The BTC is operated by the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry (DAFF).

Vice-Chancellor, Professor Renée Leon, said the BTC’s purpose of increasing Australia’s preparedness against biosecurity threats aligned with the Charles Sturt’s capabilities and responsibilities as Australia’s leading regional university.

“The Biosecurity Training Centre presents an opportunity for Charles Sturt University to utilise its research and teaching expertise to help build the skilled biosecurity workforce Australia requires,” Professor Leon said.

“On behalf of Charles Sturt University, I welcome this first group of trainees to Biosecurity Training Centre and our Wagga Wagga campus and region.”

Secretary of DAFF and Australia’s Director of Biosecurity, Mr Andrew Metcalfe AO, said the new training program, to be delivered by Charles Sturt University staff, will strengthen Australia’s biosecurity capability.

“The first programs delivered by the BTC will provide new starters to biosecurity with the foundational knowledge and skills essential for their roles managing biosecurity threats,” Mr Metcalfe said.

“We’re delighted to be working with Charles Sturt University, a leading university with a strong record of innovation, collaboration with government, and a reputation for excellence in rural and regional fields of study.”