Certificate III in Sterilisation Services

Skills check

You will be invited to complete a Skills Check following your application submission, before enrolling to your studies. This helps you to decide if your course is right for you and allows us to understand your current abilities in English, Maths, as well as using Digital technology. 

Access and instructions on how to complete the Skills Check will be emailed to you once you have submitted your application.

Read the Skills Check FAQs.

Selection criteria

To apply for this course you:

• must be over 18 years of age due to placement requirements.
• need to be physically fit for heavy lifting up to 25kg maximum.
• will require a standard of basic computer literacy skills and must have access to a computer and the internet as learning resources, assessments and exams will be issued and conducted online through our Learning Management System.
• if from non-English speaking background, must be able to demonstrate proficiency in reading, writing and have comprehension skills that would be required to fulfil a job role.

Industry based applicants (Existing workers)
To apply for this course as an existing worker, you:

• must be able to nominate a Workplace Supervisor to observe and record competencies within the workplace. As a minimum, the Workplace Supervisor must have a Certificate III in Sterilisation Services or higher relevant qualifications in Sterilisation.
• need to have been working as a sterilisation technician or sterilisation AIN for a minimum of 3 months; and be working a minimum of 16 hours per week.
• will be required to complete employment validation form.

Non-industry based applicants

• you must be prepared to undergo a series of vaccinations to prepare you for placement.
• you must be able to prove (via an immunisation statement or letter from your GP) that you have had at least the first two (2) of three, Hepatitis B vaccinations prior to applying for this program.
• Interstate, non-industry applicants will be accepted providing you can supply the contact name and details of a hospital who is prepared to host you for your 120-hour vocational placement and have a Workplace Supervisor with a Certificate III in Sterilisation Services or higher relevant qualifications in Sterilisation.

Vaccinations may be required by the owner or operator of the facility providing your placement. These requirements will be provided to the student, prior to arrangements being made for the completion of vocational placement.

Greater Brisbane
Depending on the placement hospital, non-industry applicants may be required to undergo a Criminal History Check prior to vocational placement. Applicants who are not currently employed in a sterilising department (hospital or office-based) are required to complete a 120 hour (3 consecutive weeks) vocational placement in a hospital sterilisation facility. Vocational placement is conducted Monday – Friday between 6:00 and 23:00 hours. The hospital will give you a shift roster at the time of placement. Vocational placement occurs around month 7 or 8 depending on your progress.

TAFE Queensland will negotiate with hospitals in your local area (where possible) to find a placement position for you. Please note, due to the high number of students completing placements, you are required to be flexible and may have to travel outside your immediate area to attend placement. It is also understood that students may have preferences for specific hospitals and/or periods of times, however there is no guarantee this is possible and is determined by industry availability.

Non-industry applicants are required to meet the following specific vaccination criteria prior to being accepted for placement:

• Measles, Mumps, Rubella (MMR): Two doses
• Hepatitis B: Full course. Note: a full course (i.e. 3 doses) of Hepatitis B vaccinations takes approximately 9 months
• Varicella (Chickenpox): Two doses
• Pertussis (Whooping cough): One dose
• COVID-19 Vaccination (strongly recommended)

Tuberculosis: The Mantoux Test is required by some hospitals if you have lived anywhere other than Australia for more than 3 months. You will be advised if this is required prior to the commencement of your placement.

Note: some hospitals also request immunisation for the annual influenza vaccine.

Prior to the commencement of vocational placement, applicants will need to provide evidence of immunity to the above vaccine-preventable diseases by producing results of a blood test or a statement from a GP.

Applicants who have been previously immunised will need to provide evidence of having sero-converted by producing results of a blood test. This is a high risk industry; those who are unable to sero-convert for Hepatitis B should seek advice from a medical practitioner prior to enrolling. Cover for Hepatitis B is mandatory for all Queensland Health staff and students.

Gold Coast Private Hospital Partnership
Mandatory Documentation
Students will need to be eligible for and obtain a Police Check issued by the Australian Federal Police (AFP).

Australian Federal Police (AFP) checks are to be no older than 3 months from the start of study. If a student believes they may have a notification or charges on their police check, they are encouraged to contact the Vocational Placement Officer to discuss prior to enrolment, as this may impact on their ability to be attend the vocational placement component of the course.

Vaccination and immunisation guidelines
TAFE Queensland vaccination and immunisation guidelines reflect the specific requirements from health placement providers across Australia to ensure all students are prepared and eligible to attend all placement allocations. It is important to be fully aware that the following vaccination and serology requirements are subject to change.

Students will not be able to commence a Vocational Placement until they have provided the required evidence as specified below:

• Measles, Mumps, Rubella (MMR): Evidence of 2 vaccinations one month apart or positive serology for all 3 diseases
• Hepatitis B: Commence a Hepatitis B course which is 3 injections (0, 1 and 6 months) with positive serology supplied 4-6 weeks following 3rd vaccination or supply evidence of an Age-appropriate Hep B course
• Varicella (Chicken Pox): Evidence of 2 vaccinations one month apart or positive serology
• dTpa (Diphtheria, Tetanus, and Pertussis) vaccination: Evidence of vaccinations for all 3 diseases within the last 10 years
• Tuberculosis: Mantoux Test or evidence of a plain chest x-ray
• Influenza Vaccination: Annual vaccination
• COVID-19 Vaccination (strongly recommended)
• Any other test / vaccination as directed by Australian health authorities.

Please note, it is the students responsible for the costs associated with meeting these requirements.

Those students who have a medical contraindication may be unable to complete the vocational placement component of their course. This means you may not be able to meet all of the requirements of your course and may not be able to graduate or receive your qualification.