Career Start

Career Start supports Queensland job seekers to start their career, or move into more skilled roles or full-time employment.

You can participate in either a general training pathway, or an employment-based apprenticeship or traineeship pathway. You'll receive reduced-cost entry-level training aligned to the skill outcomes required by industry.

Career Start provides eligible Queenslanders with:

• access to certificate III qualifications in priority and emerging industries
• access to apprenticeship and traineeship training in priority and emerging industries
• access to lower-level qualifications identified by industry as the entry point for jobs
• expanded access to foundation skills such as language, literacy, numeracy, digital literacy and employability skills
• increased access to training in regional and remote areas
• supported training pathways for women and priority cohorts to take up skilled careers.

Eligibility

Under Career Start, you may access up to 2 funded training places through one of the following options:

• a qualification in a certificate III under the general training pathway and an apprenticeship or traineeship. If the apprenticeship or traineeship is completed first, you are not eligible to access a general training pathway qualification under Career Start
• or
• two apprenticeships and traineeships in either a certificate II or III (school-based apprenticeships and traineeships are included in this total).

General training pathway

To be eligible, you must:

• be aged 15 years or older, and no longer in school
• permanently live in Queensland
• be an Australian or New Zealand citizen, Australian permanent resident (includes humanitarian entrants), or a temporary resident with an eligible visa subclass
• not already have a certificate III or higher qualification completed within the last 10 years (qualifications completed as a school student, and foundation skills qualifications don't count)
• not be enrolled in another qualification, even if it's on hold or deferred, whether funded by us (Department of Trade, Employment and Training) or not (foundation skills qualification don't count).

Along with the eligibility criteria above, specific entry requirements or exemptions may apply to certain funded qualifications and skill sets. These are set by industry or sector requirements, as well as national training package guidelines.

Apprenticeship or traineeship pathway

To be eligible, you must:

• have entered into a training contract for a qualification that is funded by us and be registered on our systems
• if you're from overseas, have a visa allowing you to work in Australia
• not be enrolled in another qualification
• not have already completed 2 apprenticeship or traineeship qualifications (including a school-based apprenticeship or traineeship) within the last 10 years.

Learn more about apprenticeship and traineeship funding.

What training is available

The Queensland Skills Gateway has more information about qualifications. The course search results will provide details of whether a qualification is funded under Career Start.

If you need support completing your qualification, foundation skills training in language, literacy, numeracy and digital skills is also available. Talk to your training provider about your needs.

Government-approved training providers

To receive funded training under Career Start, make sure your training provider is a Skills Assure Supplier (a government-approved training provider).

You can check this by finding a provider on the Queensland Skills Gateway:

• enter the provider's name or a location
• click 'Find a training provider'
• view the search results at the bottom of the page—if they are an approved provider, they will be listed as 'Funded'.

How much will I pay

We will pay part of your training course costs directly to your chosen government-approved training provider (up to a set amount).

You pay the remaining training course costs (a co-contribution fee) to your training provider. They set these fees – prices will vary, so it pays to show around. Read our training consumer tips.

Contact

For training information, phone 1300 369 935 or email training@desbt.qld.gov.au.

For apprenticeships and traineeships information, phone 1800 210 210 or email apprenticeshipsinfo@qld.gov.au.

Related information

• Find out about other free and reduced-cost training.
• Learn about apprenticeships and traineeships.
• Find out your funded training options while you're still at school.