What Registered NDIS Providers Need to Know About the Worker Orientation Module

The NDIS Worker Orientation Module is the only training that is explicitly mandated for all workers engaged by registered NDIS providers. Everything else a provider might require workers to complete depends on the services delivered, the participant cohort, and the risk profile of the work, but this one applies across the board.

What the module is

The Worker Orientation Module is a free online course developed by the NDIS Commission, which explains the obligations of NDIS workers under the NDIS Code of Conduct, from the perspective of participants. The content covers how the NDIS works, the role of the Commission, human rights and dignity, recognising and responding to risk, and what workers’ responsibilities look like in practice.

It takes approximately 90 minutes to complete and can be done at any pace, meaning workers can save their progress and return to it across multiple sessions. It’s available at the NDIS Commission’s training portal.

On completion, workers receive a certificate which doesn’t expire and is transferable. If a worker moves to a different provider, they don’t need to redo it.

Who needs to complete it

The requirement applies broadly. Under the Human Resources standard of the NDIS Practice Standards, registered providers must have an orientation and induction process in place that includes completion of the mandatory worker orientation program. The term ‘workers’ covers everyone employed or otherwise engaged by the provider, so not just frontline support staff.

This includes:

• Employees in direct support roles
• Allied health professionals and therapists
• Support coordinators and plan managers
• Key personnel
• Volunteers
• Contractors and subcontractors

Administrative staff who have no contact with participants are a grey area, but given the broad definition of workers in the standards, the safer approach is to include them. Regardless of whether it’s strictly mandated for them, it’s a well-designed course and worth the 90 minutes.

When it needs to be completed

The module needs to be completed as part of induction, i.e. before or at the point a worker begins delivering supports. It’s not something that can be left for later.

The Commission also recommends that workers revisit the module periodically as part of ongoing learning, though this isn’t mandated.

What auditors look for

At audit, an auditor will want to see evidence that every worker has completed the module before delivering supports. In practice this means:

• A copy of each worker’s completion certificate on file
• Evidence that completion is part of your induction checklist, not something done ad hoc or in a rush before audit

Keep certificates for seven years in line with your general record-keeping obligations.

The certificate

Workers receive a certificate on completing the module. They should save this themselves in case they move to a different employer in the future. It’s accessible from their individual account on the training portal at any time, and a new certificate with an updated completion date can be generated if a worker repeats the module.

Using a personal email address to create the account is worth encouraging, so workers can access their certificate across different employers throughout their career without relying on a work email that may no longer be active.