Career Start
Career Start provides Queensland job seekers with skills and support to start their career.
The program provides training to help job seekers secure a job and supports those already employed to move into more skilled roles or full-time employment.
You can participate in either a general training pathway, or an 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 to support qualification completion
- 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 certificate III qualification 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).
In addition, under Career Start, students may access one subsidised introductory-level skill set.
A student cannot do 2 general training pathway qualifications under Career Start.
General training pathway
You can enrol directly in a general training pathway qualification even if you are not already employed in the industry (unless this is a specified eligibility requirement).
It helps people gain skills and qualifications through an approved training provider to support their career goals.
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.
You are not eligible if you:
- are a school student
- have completed a certificate III or higher qualification within the last 10 years (qualifications completed as a school student, through a Skilling Queenslanders for Work project and foundation skills qualifications don't count)
- are enrolled in another qualification funded by us (Department of Trade, Employment and Training), even if it is on hold or deferred. (Foundation skills qualifications and self-funded/fee-for-service qualifications do not impact eligibility).
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:
- be employed as a Queensland apprentice or trainee with a training contract registered on our systems for a qualification that is funded by us
- if you're from overseas, have a visa allowing you to work in Australia.
You are not eligible if you:
- are a school student
- are enrolled in another qualification funded by us, Department of Trade, Employment and Training, even if it is on hold or deferred, (foundation skills qualifications and self-funded/fee-for-service qualifications don’t impact eligibility)
- have 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.
Getting started
- Check if you are eligible.
- Find training available through Career Start.
- Visit the Queensland Skills Gateway course search results
- Select “Career Start” under “funded under” on the left panel.
- Click “apply filter”.
- Find a training provider that offers Career Start. To receive funded training under Career Start, make sure your training provider is a Skills Assure Supplier (a government-approved training provider). After step 2, click “View providers” on the right to see who provides that training.
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.
How much will I pay
To find out the costs of training, visit the training provider’s website or contact them.
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 shop around. Read our training consumer tips.
Contact
For training information, phone 1300 369 935 or email training@dtet.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.