Fees & Government Funding

Queensland Government Funding

Career Start and Career Boost Funding

Career Start helps Queenslanders kick off their careers or move into higher-skilled or full-time roles.

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.

Through this program, you can start an apprenticeship or traineeship that blends paid work with recognised training delivered by SWC Training. These pathways are designed to build the practical skills employers are looking for while reducing your upfront training costs. Rather than paying the full course fee, you or your employer only contribute a smaller portion, with the rest supported by government funding.

The Queensland Government subsidises eligible apprentices and trainees through:

• School-based apprenticeships and traineeships (SBATs) for high school students wanting to gain hands-on experience.
• Career Start: for job seekers who want to complete a Certificate II or III qualification in a priority or emerging industry. Eligible participants can undertake up to two funded apprenticeships or traineeships at these levels.
• Career Boost: for individuals looking to develop the higher-level skills needed to secure employment, advance their careers, or progress to further education and training.

What can we deliver?

General Training

• CPP30321 Certificate III in Cleaning Operations
• HLT33115 Certificate III in Health Services Assistance
• HLT37121 Certificate III in Hospital or Health Services Pharmacy Support
• HLT47121 Certificate IV in Hospital or Health Services Pharmacy Support

Apprenticeships and Traineeships

• CPP30321 Certificate III in Cleaning Operations
• HLT33115 Certificate III in Health Services Assistance
• HLT33115 Certificate III in Health Services Assistance (Operating Theatre Assistant)
• HLT33115 Certificate III in Health Services Assistance (Assistant in Nursing)
• HLT37121 Certificate III in Hospital or Health Services Pharmacy Support
• SIT30622 Certificate III in Hospitality

Career Start – Funding 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).

To qualify for funding under a Career Start Apprenticeship or Traineeship Pathway, applicants must meet the following criteria:

• Be employed under a formal training contract for a government-subsidised qualification, with the contract registered on the official state training system.
• Hold a valid visa that permits work in Australia (for non-Australian residents).
• Not currently be studying another qualification.
• Have not completed more than two government-funded apprenticeships or traineeships (including any school-based programs) in the past ten years.

To qualify for funding under the Career Start under the General Training Pathway, applicants must meet the following criteria:

• 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.

Career Boost – Funding 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.

Career Boost – General Training Pathway

To access a subsidised training place under Career Boost, a student must meet the following criteria:

• aged 15 years or older
• not be a school student
• permanently reside in Queensland
• be an Australian citizen, or Australian permanent resident (includes humanitarian entrant), or a temporary resident with the right visa and work permits on the pathway to permanent residency, or a New Zealand citizen
• 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 the Department of Trade, Employment and Training or not (foundation skills qualifications don’t count).

*Note: This eligibility requirement doesn’t apply to individuals seeking to enrol in a skill set.

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

Career Boost – Apprenticeship or Traineeship Pathway Eligibility

To receive government subsidised training, the apprentice or trainee must:

• not be a school student
• be currently employed in Queensland under a registered training contract, in an approved apprenticeship or traineeship qualification funded through this program (this requirement does not apply to individuals enrolling in a skill set)
• not be enrolled in another qualification, whether funded or unfunded (foundation skills qualifications are the only exception)
• not have completed a Certificate IV or higher qualification, including university studies, in the past 10 years (qualifications completed at school, and foundation skills qualifications, don’t impact eligibility)
• not have completed more than 2 government funded apprenticeships or traineeships within the last 10 years, including school-based apprenticeships or traineeships.

Co-Contribution Fees

Queensland government co-contribution fees are mandatory, non-waivable fees paid by students (or employers/third parties) for government-subsidised training. Fees are typically set at $1.60 per nominal hour for apprenticeships and traineeships. These fees contribute to the cost of training, with potential concessions for specific groups (e.g., concession card holders, First Nations people). Please follow this link to access our QLD Indicative Government Subsidised Co-Contribution Fees.

School Based Apprentices and Trainees are exempt from student co-contribution fees.