School leavers and unemployed offered free or cheap training

An excellent opportunity to learn new skills is being offered to school leavers and those who lost their job during the pandemic.

TRAINING OPPORTUNITY: Kitchen Operations is just one of the many 'no fee' qualifications Central Queensland school leavers or those out of work can study at CQUni TAFE thanks to the Australian Government's JobTrainer Fund.

NO FEE or low fee training is being offered by CQUniversitey TAFE to CQ's school leavers and those who found themselves out of work during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The result of a partnership between the Australian, state and territory governments as part of the economic response to the pandemic, the JobTrainer Fund would ensure cheap training was provided for more than 150 accredited qualifications and short courses over the next year.

CQUniversity Deputy Vice-President - VET Operations and Growth Peter Heilbuth said the JobTrainer Fund was a not-to-be-missed opportunity for those left out-of-work due to COVID-19, or young people looking for an entry point into vocational education and the workforce.

"Under the JobTrainer Fund CQUniversity will be offering 'No Fee Courses' in Certificate-level qualifications in training areas including business, child care, community services, health services, beauty services and hospitality," Mr Heilbuth said.

CQUniversity's Peter Heilbuth

"Low-fee Certificate and Diploma-level courses will also be offered in the areas of justice studies, child care, laboratory techniques and training and assessment."

Mr Heilbuth said some short courses in skill sets and part qualifications would also be available for no fee.

"All of these course areas are in high demand and this funding will provide the skills and knowledge to support people seeking employment," he said.

"This is a great chance to enrol in a nationally recognised course at low or no cost and gain valuable skills and experience that will provide opportunities for employment or pathways into further study."

Capricornia MP Michelle Landry said her government continued to support regional Australians throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.

"JobTrainer will play a central role in our recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic, not just here in Central Queensland but all over Australia," Ms Landry said. 

"The Commonwealth Government has been working closely with jurisdictions to establish the $1 billion JobTrainer Fund, including a $500 million investment from the Australian Government to be matched by the state and territory governments.

"This will fund up to 340,700 additional free or low-fee training places to help Australians upskill and reskill in key areas of demand."

In the Federal Budget this year, she said the government had also announced the JobMaker Hiring Credit which will provide an incentive of up to $200 a week for employers to hire new workers aged 16-35, supporting around 450,000 jobs for young people.

"We also created 100,000 new apprenticeships and traineeships, with a 50 per cent wage subsidy for businesses who employ them," she said. 

Minister for Training and Skills Development Di Farmer Di Farmer and Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk are looking forward to driving a skills-led economic recovery.

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said investing in skills was a key part of Queensland's plan for economic recovery.

"This is all about giving Queenslanders the opportunity to get qualifications which lead to jobs and drives our state's economic recovery," Ms Palaszczuk said.

"The fund will support young people launching or developing a career, and job seekers affected by the pandemic who want to pursue new opportunities with better employment prospects.

"JobTrainer will fund thousands of extra training places and covers a range of short courses, certificate and diploma qualifications.

"We're talking about jobs in health, plumbing, manufacturing, electro technology, cyber security and more. It will target specific industries which need more workers now, and into the future."

Minister for Training and Skills Development Di Farmer said additional priorities would be added throughout the year based on industry advice on employment opportunities, particularly in regional areas.

"JobTrainer will be in addition to the Palaszczuk Government's recent expansion of its free apprenticeship and free TAFE for Year 12 graduates, to anyone under 25 - which will provide 37,000 young Queenslanders with a training opportunity," Ms Farmer said.

"Turbocharged training pathways will bring long term benefits for individuals, families, businesses, communities and our state.

"Lowering the cost barrier will see more skilled workers, boost businesses, and increase Queensland's productivity."

The biggest areas of demand are expected to be health, aged and disability care, manufacturing, logistics, primary industries and tourism with courses in these fields listed as follows:

• Health - Certificate II in Health Support Services (Health support short course)

• Cyber Security (Certificate IV)

• Aged and disability care - Certificate III in Individual Support (full qualification)

• Manufacturing - Certificate II in Engineering Pathways (full qualification)

• Tourism - Certificate II in Hospitality (Food service short course)

To qualify for the JobTrainer Fund students must enrol before September 2021 and complete their training by 30 June 2022.

Eligibility criteria applies. For more information on available courses, eligibility and how to apply please visit www.cqu.edu.au/jobtrainer

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