Free Apprenticeships for Under 25s

Free Apprenticeships for Under 25s covers the cost of your training when you choose a high priority apprenticeship or traineeship.

Free Apprenticeships for Under 25s is part of the Free TAFE initiative, which also includes:

Choose out of more than 130 priority apprenticeship and traineeship qualifications offered under the following industries:

  • Arts and entertainment – graphic
  • Automotive
  • Communications – information technology
  • Community services
  • Construction and civil
  • Engineering and aviation
  • Food processing
  • Furnishing
  • Hospitality
  • Laboratory operations
  • Mining
  • Primary industry and horticulture
  • Process manufacturing
  • Retail
  • Sports and recreation – racing
  • Textile, clothing and footwear
  • Utilities and electrotechnology.

View a full list of funded apprenticeship and traineeship qualifications (XLSX, 78KB). Check the 'Free Apprenticeships' column to confirm the qualification is funded under Free Apprenticeships for Under 25s.

You can also search the Queensland Skills Gateway for qualifications funded under Free Apprenticeships for Under 25s.

Eligibility

To be eligible, you must:

  • be currently employed as a Queensland apprentice or trainee (under a training contract) in a high priority apprenticeship and traineeship qualification
  • have commenced (or were already undertaking) your apprenticeship or traineeship between 1 January 2021 and 31 December 2024
  • be aged under 25.

If you want to start training under Free Apprenticeships for Under 25s, follow our steps to get started in an apprenticeship or traineeship.

You'll continue to receive funding until you complete your apprenticeship or traineeship, even if you're over 25 or you complete after 31 December 2024.

Apprentices and trainees may be able to access subsidised training through the User Choice program. If you're 25 and over, and interested in a construction apprenticeship, find out about Free Construction Apprenticeships for Over 25s.

Already undertaking an apprenticeship or traineeship

If you commenced your high priority apprenticeship or traineeship prior to 1 January 2021 and are still in training, you're still eligible if you were under 25 on 1 January 2021. However, you'll only receive funding for the units of competency/modules commenced after 1 January 2021.

Previous Free Apprenticeships for Under 21s initiative

If you commenced your apprenticeship or traineeship under the previous Free Apprenticeships for Under 21s initiative, you're still eligible.

Recommencing an apprenticeship or traineeship

If you have a cancelled apprenticeship or traineeship and wish to recommence, you're still eligible for Free Apprenticeships for Under 25s, as long as you recommence while you are still under 25, and before 31 December 2024.

Approved training providers

To receive the subsidy, 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 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’.

What does 'free' mean

'Free' means we will cover the cost of training, so you or your employer don't have to pay tuition fees. However, you might have to pay related costs, such as uniforms, resources or travel to and from your training provider.

A travel and accommodation subsidy is available to eligible apprentices and trainees who are required to travel at least 100kms return to attend the off-the-job training for the apprenticeship or traineeship.

Contact

Related information