Apprenticeships and traineeships

Skilling Australians Fund

Queensland is one of the two jurisdictions not signed up to the National Partnership onthe Skilling Australians Fund.

Skilling Queenslanders for Work initiative

Increased funding of $180 million over three years from 2018-19 is allocated to boost the Skilling Queenslanders for Work initiative to fund more apprenticeships and increase workforce participation through a suite of targeted skill and training programs, and job opportunities for unemployed, disengaged or disadvantaged Queenslanders (Budget paper no. 2: Budget strategy and outlook, p. 2).

Payroll Tax Apprentice and Trainee Rebate extension

A commitment of $26 million is provided to extend the 50 per cent Payroll Tax Apprentice and Trainee Rebate for a further 12 months to June 2019, which is expected to support the hiring of up to 26 000 apprentices and trainees throughout the year (Budget paper no. 2: Budget strategy and outlook, p. 19).

Advancing Apprentices Fund

The Advancing Apprentices Fund is a new program to support career pathways through apprenticeships and traineeships by partnering with industry to encourage participationin priority training areas (Service delivery statements: Department of Employment, Small Business and Training, p. 7).

User Choice - apprentice and trainee training subsidy program continuation

This apprentice and trainee training subsidy program provides government funding towards the costs of training and assessment for eligible Queensland apprentices and trainees or complementary pathways leading to apprenticeship and traineeship outcomes. The value of this subsidy for each qualification ranges from $1140 to $50 720 depending on the eligibility and qualification subsidised. The average subsidy value is $9007 (Budget paper no. 2: Budget strategy and outlook, p. 154).

Travel and Accommodation Subsidy

The Travel and Accommodation Subsidy provides financial assistance to Queensland apprentices and trainees for travel expenses incurred in attending off the job training at a registered training organisation. The subsidy provides for:

• return land travel to the registered training organisation of 15 cents per km for distances between 100-649 km, increasing to 19 cents per km for distances between 650-1400 km
• cost of ferry travel ifnecessary - a return economy air ticket to the location of the registered training organisation, if necessary
• accommodation assistance of $28 per day for overnight stay within Queensland and $68 for interstate travellers, if it is necessary to live away from their usual place of residence to attend training (Budget paper no. 2: Budget strategy and outlook, p. 155).

Labour hours on government projects

The Department is continuing to work with Government agencies to allocate at least 10 per cent of total labour hours on eligible projects to be undertaken by apprentices and/or trainees, with a further 10 per cent of total labour hours to be allocated for projects in Indigenous communities (Service delivery statements: Department of Employment, Small Business and Training, p. 7).

Employment

Jobs and Regional Growth Fund

$20 million is provided to expand the Jobs and Regional Growth Fund, bringing the total funding committed to the program to $150 million, to help facilitate private sector projects which create employment and economic growth opportunities in regional Queensland by focusing on regions with higher than average unemployment (Budget paper no. 2: Budget strategy and outlook, p. 13).

Regional Skills Investment Strategy

The Training and Skills service area highlights include the continuing implementation of $9 million over four years for the Regional Skills Investment Strategy to align training outcomes for Queenslanders with local employment skills demand (Service delivery statements: Department of Employment, Small Business and Training, p. 7).

Back to Work regional program extension

Increased funding of $155 million over four years from 2017-18 is provided to extend the Back to Work regional program to 30 June 2020 to continue to provide employer support payments of up to $20 000 for eligible employers hiring unemployed job-seekers in regional Queensland (Budget paper no. 2: Budget strategy and outlook, p. 2).

Driving Queensland Agriculture and Rural Jobs Growth program

Additional funding of $19.2 million over three years is allocated to support Queensland agriculture and rural jobs through the Driving Queensland Agriculture and Rural Jobs Growth program (Budget paper no. 4: Budget measures, p. 7).

Industry

National Disability Insurance Scheme Training and Skills Support Strategy

The Training and Skills service area highlights include the implementation of the $5 million industry-led National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) Training and Skills Support Strategy over three years to support NDIS training and workforce development needs, particularly in regional communities (Service delivery statements: Department of Employment, Small Business and Training, p. 7) 

National Agreements

Estimated Commonwealth funding to Queensland for skills and workforce development in 2018-19 includes

• $303.5 million for the National Skills and Workforce Development Specific Purposes Payment (SPP) (Budget paper no. 2: Budget strategy and outlook, p. 92).
   

Training providers and programs

Regional Skills Adjustment Strategy

The Training and Skills service area highlights include funding of $10 million over two years for the Regional Skills Adjustment Strategy to support TAFE Queensland to increase training opportunities inspecific regions and industry sectors facing economic uncertainty (Service delivery statements: Department of Employment, Small Business and Training, p. 7)

Consumer information services strategies

The Training and Skills service area highlights include development of strategies to provide services to better inform students and employers about qualifications, study options and training providers suited to their needs (Service delivery statements: Department of Employment, Small Business and Training, p. 7)

Certificate 3 Guarantee Tuition Fee Subsidy

The Vocational Education and Training (VET) Certificate 3 Guarantee Tuition Fee Subsidy provides a government subsidy to allow eligible Queenslanders to obtain their first post-school Certificate III qualification. The value of this subsidy for each qualification ranges from $440 to $6260 depending on the eligibility and qualification subsidised. The average subsidy value is $2836 (Budget paper no. 2: Budget strategy and outlook, p. 154).

VET Higher Level Skills Tuition Fee Subsidy

The VET Higher Level Skills Tuition Fee Subsidy provides a government subsidy to eligible students and employers to undertake a priority Certificate IV, diploma or advanced diploma or industry endorsed skill set. The value of this subsidy for each qualification ranges from $1105 to $8190 depending onthe eligibility and qualification subsidised. The average subsidy value is $4078 (Budget paper no. 2: Budget strategy and outlook, p. 155).