Million-Place Training Scheme Unveiled in Qld

One million places will be funded for training in priority industries, including construction, under a new Queensland Government scheme.

In what is said is the biggest skills and training reform in almost a decade, the Miles Government will fund the places to “ease the cost-of-living pressures for those who want to train, upskill, reskill, and pursue careers in the state’s priority industries”.

The Good Jobs, Great Training: Queensland Skills Strategy 2024—2028 will deliver more free and subsidised training for Queenslanders, the government said.

The strategy extends Labor’s Free TAFE program, funding up to 70,000 Free TAFE places including 30,000 new places, to bring down costs for Queenslanders to get into better paid jobs or start a career in high-demand industries.

It will also fund a million publicly subsidised training places in health, social services, hospitality, clean energy, construction and more.

“The strategy will skill Queenslanders for good jobs in priority areas like construction training, delivered from facilities such as TAFE Queensland’s Acacia Ridge campus. the biggest trade training centre in the southern hemisphere, spanning more than 22ha,” the government said.

“Across five focus areas and five years, the strategy sets out to maximise productivity and participation, unlocking billions in annual skills investment. including a $370-million funding uplift to help kickstart the new strategy”.

Queensland Treasurer Cameron Dick said the initiative “is backed with $370 million of direct funding, supported by progressive coal royalties”.