Career Start

Career Start explained

A certificate III is an industry-recognised qualification that can give you the skills you need to enter the job market, re-enter the workforce, or take the next step in your career. By reducing your upfront costs, Career Start can allow you to get a post-school qualification for less and help increase your job prospects and future career potential.

TAFE Queensland is a Skills Assure supplier, approved by the Department of Trade, Employment and Training to deliver Career Start subsidised courses to eligible Queenslanders. Our practical, hands-on approach to training will ensure you graduate job-ready with the skills employers are looking for.

How Career Start can help you

Through the Career Start subsidy, the Queensland Government will contribute to the cost of your course, significantly reducing your out-of-pocket expenses. Eligible students will still be required to contribute to the cost of their training through a co-contribution fee. The amount you need to contribute will vary depending on your chosen course. For example, a higher subsidy will apply to vocational areas that have a skills shortage and align with economic and industry skills needs.

Students who hold a healthcare or pension concession card, or identify as Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander, may be eligible for a higher subsidy amount.

Career Start eligibility

To be eligible for Career Start funding you must:

• be a Queensland resident
• be aged 15 years or over, and no longer at school (with the exception of VET in Schools students)
• be an Australian or New Zealand citizen or Australian permanent resident (including humanitarian entrants), or a temporary resident with the necessary visa and work permits on the pathway to permanent residency
• not hold, or be enrolled in, a certificate III level or higher qualification (not including qualifications completed at school and foundation skills training)
• 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 do not count).

Please note: RPL study mode is available for Certificate III level programs only.

Career Start courses

There are a number of certificate III courses across a range of study areas that are eligible for Career Start funding.  Please refer to the table below: