PRESS RELEASE: Asset College Secures National Accreditation for Groundbreaking Diploma of Operational Safety
New qualification aims to reduce occupational violence and protect frontline workers and the wider community.
Asset College has announced the national accreditation of its Diploma of Operational Safety, now recognised by the Australian Skills Quality Authority (ASQA) for a period of five years.
This qualification is designed to address the growing threat of occupational violence and aggression (OVA) across multiple sectors, including security, corrections, policing, and emergency services. Importantly, several units have been tailored for broader industries such as healthcare, education, transport, and retail, where professionals are increasingly exposed to unsafe environments.
“This program was developed over several years in consultation with more than 100 stakeholders,” said Mark Costello, Managing Director of Asset College. “We believe this program will substantially improve the safety and security of our communities and contribute to both the reduction of occupational violence and aggression and the adverse impacts on people responding to and managing dangerous situations.”
Addressing a Critical Community Need
Incidents of violence and aggression are on the rise in traditionally safe spaces—shopping centres, medical clinics, transport hubs, schools, and even religious institutions. The Diploma of Operational Safety fills a critical gap in education and preparedness by providing lawful, ethical, and effective strategies to prevent, respond to, and recover from high-risk situations.
The qualification includes two distinct specialisations:
• Critical Threat Management
• Use of Force Instructor
Core units address essential topics such as:
• Managing occupational violence and aggression
• Crisis communication
• Mental health and wellbeing in high-threat environments
• Protecting the safety and welfare of vulnerable people
Real-world applications of these skills include health workers managing patients affected by substance use or mental illness, teachers de-escalating schoolyard violence, and security or police responding to persons in crisis. The program is designed not as a response built on aggression, but as a community safety initiative grounded in resilience, professionalism, and evidence-based practice.
