EarTrain workforce training

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Introduction Overview State and territory Remoteness

  • Around 1 in 3 (885) health professionals

    participating in the EarTrain program were First Nations people.

  • 42%

    of all EarTrain participants (1,106 participants) were nurses directly involved in assessing and treating ear health.

EarTrain is a program that provides training to primary health care professionals to identify and manage middle ear infections and other hearing conditions in First Nations communities. Most training is online but there are also workshops on practical skills, which are delivered in communities in person.

About the data

This report presents information on the number of people who have participated in the EarTrain program since it began in 2020 through to 30 June 2024.

The information comes from the EarTrain program, which is funded by the Australian Government and delivered nationally by TAFE New South Wales. For more information, see The EarTrain program.

Overview

From the time it began in 2020 to 30 June 2025, 2,662 primary health care professionals have participated in training provided by EarTrain,with 885, or around 1 in 3, were First Nations people (Data table 5.3a).

State and territory

The highest numbers of EarTrain participants were from New South Wales (816 or 30.7%) and Queensland (778 or 29.2%). 

The highest rate of EarTrain participants relative to the size of the First Nations population was in the Northern Territory (5.7 per 1,000 First Nations population) (Data table 5.3b).

Remoteness

The highest numbers of EarTrain participants were from Major cities (781 or 29.3%), Outer regional areas (602 or 22.6%) and Inner regional areas (573 or 21.5%). 

The rate of EarTrain participants was 6.7 per 1,000 First Nations population in Remote areas, the highest rate across remoteness areas. In comparison, the rate of EarTrain participants for Outer regional areas was 3.0 per 1,000 First Nations population, 2.2 per 1,000 in Inner regional areas and Very remote areas, and 1.8 per 1,000 in Major cities (Figure WORKFORCE 6).

Figure WORKFORCE 6: EarTrain participants, by remoteness, as at 30 June 2025

Column chart shows rate of EarTrain participants is highest in remote areas and lowest in Major cities.


Source: EarTrain data (unpublished); AIHW population modelling using ABS population estimates and projections.

Job role

Almost half of all EarTrain participants were nurses (1,287 or 48.3% of participants), and most of these were directly involved in assessing and treating ear health.

Health workers made up 34.4% (915) of EarTrain participants . Of these, 45.4% were directly involved in the assessment and management of ear and hearing health, while over half (54.6%) were involved in public health campaigns or working with families and health promotion.

Ear health coordinators, allied health practitioners, doctors and people working in justice health made up the remaining 17% of participants (Data Table 5.3d, Figure WORKFORCE 7).

Figure WORKFORCE 7: EarTrain participants by job role, as at 30 June 2025

Bar chart shows nearly half of EarTrain participants are Nurses and around one third are health workers.

  • Over 90% of doctors participating in EarTrain were directly involved in ear health assessment and treatment.
  • Around 87% of nurses participating in EarTrain were directly involved in ear health assessment and treatment.
  • Around 45% of health workers participating in EarTrain were directly involved in ear health assessment and treatment.

Source: EarTrain data (unpublished)

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