QLD Government to fund 1 million training places, including in ECEC

The Queensland Government has announced “the biggest skills and training reform in almost a decade,” which will see one million funded training places for its citizens in priority skill areas including early childhood education and care (ECEC). 

The Good Jobs, Great Training: Queensland Skills Strategy 2024 – 2028 will help address local skills and workforce priorities in Central Queensland including in the ECEC, nursing, retail, mining, and construction sectors with more free and subsidised training for locals.

The strategy also extends the Queensland Government’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 sectors and industries.

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.

The Central Queensland region is predicted to employ almost 139,000 workers by 2025-26–a 11.5 per cent rise from 2021-22, with MPs from the region welcoming the announcement.

“The new Queensland Skills Strategy is huge for Rocky, with more Free TAFE places allowing locals who have never been able to afford training to gain new skills to enter or re-enter the workforce,” Member for Rockhampton Barry O’Rourke MP said.

“Free TAFE will provide more opportunities for Central Queenslanders like Breeanne Brereton (pictured) who studied a Certificate III in Early Childhood Education and Care through Central Queensland University, to access Free TAFE.”

“The demand for kindergarten and daycare educators is growing and it’s fantastic we will be able to provide Free TAFE opportunities for people like Breeanne who are eager to meet that demand.

For more information and to read the Good Jobs, Great Training: Queensland Skills Strategy 2024 – 2028, visit www.qld.gov.au/SkillsStrategy.