Career Boost

Career Boost helps Queenslanders to level-up at work, enabling them to grow and apply their skills to existing or new roles, and support productivity growth and workplace innovation.

The program delivers training to help individuals develop the higher-level skills needed to secure employment, advance their careers, or progress to further education and training.

Eligibility

Under Career Boost, you may access either:

• one funded training place in either a certificate IV, diploma of advanced diploma qualification under the general training pathway
• or
• a higher-level apprenticeship or traineeship in certificate IV or above.

In addition, under Career Boost, you may access up to 2 funded skill sets in priority industries or sectors.

If you have already accessed 2 apprenticeships or traineeships through a school-based apprenticeship or traineeship or Career Start within the last 10 years, you are not eligible to undertake an apprenticeship or traineeeship under Career Boost.

You cannot do 2 general training pathway qualifications under Career Boost.

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 IV or higher qualification (including tertiary qualifications) 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).

*Note: This eligibility does not apply to individuals seeking to enrol in a skill set.

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 Subsidised Training List identifies the qualifications and skill sets that attract Queensland Government funding.

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

Government-approved training providers

To receive funded training under Career Boost, 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.

Accessing VET Student Loans

You may be eligible to access VET Student Loans to cover all or part of your contribution when accessing approved diploma or advanced diploma qualifications as well as a small number of Certificate IV qualifications.

Your must enrol with a VET Student Loans approved training provider to access this assistance.

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.