Release type: Joint Media Release

Date:

More skills training for Queensland school leavers and job seekers

Ministers:

Senator the Hon Michaelia Cash
Minister for Employment, Skills, Small and Family Business
The Hon Shannon Fentiman
Queensland Minister for Training and Skills Development

Queensland school leavers and job seekers will benefit from increased access to free or low-fee skills training under a significant investment through the JobTrainer Agreement to be rolled out across Queensland.

Minister for Employment, Skills, Small and Family Business, Senator the Hon Michaelia Cash, said strengthening Australia’s skills and training system is a priority as the nation responds to COVID-19.

The $1 billion JobTrainer program will provide up to an additional 340,700 training places across the country for school leavers and help upskill and retrain jobseekers in areas of demand.

“JobTrainer is central to Australia’s recovery from COVID-19. It will provide Australians with new opportunities and skills to get a job” Minister Cash said.

“It is a significant joint investment by the Commonwealth and State and Territory Governments.”

The Queensland agreement will inject an extra $201 million into the state’s vocational education and training sector.

The Australian Government will contribute $100.5 million, which will be matched dollar-for-dollar by the Queensland Government.

Queensland State Minister for Training and Skills Development, Shannon Fentiman MP, said this is a fantastic result for Queensland and will ensure more people can gain more skills.

“We know skills and training will play a crucial role in our State’s economic recovery post COVID-19,” Ms Fentiman said.

“Queensland’s plan is focused on investing in apprenticeships and traineeships so we have the skilled workforce for the jobs now and into the future.

“The JobTrainer Fund will mean we can reach even more Queenslanders, especially our young Queenslanders to undertake world class training that will lead to a job.”

Minister Cash said JobTrainer is part of the Australian Government’s $6.5 billion investment in Vocational Education and Training in 2020-21.

“As part of this investment the Commonwealth is also providing additional support with the Supporting Apprentices and Trainees (SAT) wage subsidy, which has provided more than $500 million to employers across Australia since April this year.

“As part of the SAT the Government has invested $102.89 million to assist 10,461 employers to retain 17,290 apprentices and trainees in Queensland.”

For more information about JobTrainer visit: https://www.dese.gov.au/jobtrainer-fund.