Thirty-one students have recently graduated from Queensland's first Diploma of Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander Primary Health Care Management.

The program began in March 2025 and was delivered across three intensive retreats before students graduated in August, completing the course in six months.

Queensland Aboriginal and Islander Health Council (QAIHC) Workforce & Development Jurisdiction Manager Adam Stephen said the graduates are already making an impact in their communities.

"Graduates are being supported through their ACCHO employers and QAIHC's workforce development activities," Mr Stephen said.

"This includes sector networking, leadership and professional development opportunities, and the mentoring and peer networks established during the retreats.

"Many graduates are already in supervisory or management roles and the Diploma has strengthened their capability and confidence to progress further in leadership."

QAIHC helped coordinate the program on behalf of the sector with funding support from the Department of Health, Disability and Ageing through the Indigenous Health Workforce Traineeship Program (IHWT).

"Without this support, most participants would have been ineligible for subsidised training under Queensland's VET funding settings and faced out-of-pocket costs of around $10,000," Mr Stephen said.

Through IHWT, QAIHC also covered student travel and accommodation and provided wage reimbursements to backfill frontline staff during the retreats.

Registered training organisation Health Industry Training (HIT) delivered the accredited course.

QAIHC co-designed the model with HIT based on member feedback, ensuring the training was retreat-based, culturally safe, and tailored to the Queensland ACCHO sector.

Mr Stephen said the diploma came at a critical time for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health.

"This is the first time the Diploma has been delivered in Queensland and it comes at a time of workforce shortages and growing service demand," he said.

"The program builds local leadership and management capability, strengthens culturally safe practice, and supports succession into management and executive roles within community-controlled health."

HIT Executive Director, Karyn Calcino, said the program will help practitioners step into leadership positions.

"The Diploma is for AHWs and AHPs who work in communities and want to upskill into leadership or management roles," Ms Calcino said.

"We have been delivering courses for First Nations students for 12 years and we saw there were some gaps with training at one stage, and it's great to see that this course will help our students step up into leadership roles.

"We think this is a first for Queensland."