Career Ready (VETiS)
Career Start
FREE Apprenticeships for Under 25s
Career Ready
VET in Schools (VETiS)
The program focuses on improved support for secondary school students who have career aspirations aligned to priority VET pathways and improved school to work employment transitions and pathways.
Advantages of taking part in VET include (but aren’t limited to):
Gaining hands-on experience in real work environments
Learning how workplaces function and operate day-to-day
Building essential employability skills for future careers
Enhancing communication and teamwork abilities
Exploring and identifying potential career paths of interest
Fees and Charges
School students do not have to pay any student or co-contribution fees for the VETiS 2026 program.
The Queensland Government covers the cost by paying the SAS so students can do the training for free.
Funded Qualifications Under Career Ready (VETiS)
- CPC10120 Certificate I in Construction
Check Your Eligibility
To access a funded training place under VETiS 2026, in a general training pathway, a school student must:
- be a student enrolled in Years 10, 11 or 12 in aQueensland secondary school);
- not be an international secondary schoolexchange student;
- not have already completed a certificate I or IIVETiS qualification funded by DTET;
- have a genuine interest in pursuing a postschool vocational occupation.
Career Start
Students may access up to 2 subsidised training places under career start funding. These can be through one of the below options:
- A Certificate III qualification under General Training and an apprenticeship/traineeship, noting that if the apprenticeship/traineeship is done first, students are no longer eligible to access a general training pathway qualification under Career Start.
- Two apprenticeships/traineeships at either a Certificate II or III level, including school-based apprenticeships and traineeships (SATs).
A student cannot do 2 general training pathway qualifications under Career Start.
Fees and Charges
The Career Start program provides a public funding contribution towards the cost of training and assessment services for eligible Queensland students. Students that meet the Queensland state funding requirements will be charged a set fee for each unit. Please see fee details below.
Apprentices / Trainees
These fees are calculated at a regulated rate of $1.60 per nominal hour, per unit. Concession rates are calculated at a regulated rate of $0.64 per QLD Nominal Hour and apply for students who hold a current Health Care Card or who identify as Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander.
Please refer to the Student Course Fees Document below for fee details.
General Training
These fees are set at a flat rate per unit. Details of these costs can be found in the Student Course Fees Document below
Note: Fees are subject to the units selected during enrolment. Changes in units may impact total fee charges. Total fees will be confirmed once units have been selected and confirmed.
Full Fee Exemptions
A full fee exemption will be applied in the following cohorts. This means that no co-contribution fees are chargeable to students who are:
- Skilling Queenslanders for Work (SQW);
- School-based apprenticeships or traineeships;
- Free Apprenticeships for Under 25s Initiative.
Funded Qualifications Under Career Start
Qualification | General Training | Apprenticeship | Traineeship |
|---|---|---|---|
*Free Apprenticeships for Under 25s | |||
BSB10120 Certificate I in Workplace Skills | School Based/SQW ONLY | ||
BSB20120 Certificate II in Workplace Skills | |||
BSB30120 Certificate III in Business | |||
BSB30220 Certificate III in Entrepreneurship and New Business | |||
CPC10120 Certificate I in Construction | School Based/SQW ONLY | ||
*CPC30220 Certificate III in Carpentry | |||
*MSF30322 Certificate III in Cabinet Making and Timber Technology | |||
SIT10222 Certificate I in Hospitality | |||
SIT20322 Certificate II in Hospitality |
Check Your Eligibility
Career Start - General Training Pathway
General Training
- Be aged 15 years or older
- Not be a current school student
- Permanently reside in Queensland
- Be an Australian or New Zealand citizen, an Australian permanent resident (including humanitarian entrants), or hold an eligible VISA
- Not have completed a Certificate III or higher qualification in the last 10 years
- This excludes qualifications completed as a school student or foundation skills qualifications
- Not be currently enrolled in another qualification
Career Start - Apprenticeship or Traineeship Pathway
Apprenticeship/Traineeships
- Be employed as an apprentice or trainee under a registered training contract
- Not have already completed two apprenticeship or traineeship qualifications within the last 10 years
- This includes school-based apprenticeships and traineeships
- Have a VISA that allows the right to work in Australia (if from overseas)
Free Apprenticeships for Under 25s
The government will contribute the training fees for all eligible young people until they complete their apprenticeship or traineeship, including those that complete after the age of 25 years or after 30 June 2027.
If a young person under 25 years is eligible to be employed as an apprentice or trainee in a high priority qualification, they will automatically be eligible to receive their training fee-free
Fees and Charges
‘Free’ means the Department we will cover the cost of training, so you or your employer don’t have to pay course fees.
Free Apprenticeships for Under 25s
Check Your Eligibility
To be eligible, you must:
- be currently employed as a Queensland apprentice or trainee (under a training contract) in a high priority apprenticeship and traineeship qualification
- have commenced (or were already undertaking) your apprenticeship or traineeship between 1 January 2021 and 30 June 2027
- be aged under 25.
Click here for more information on Free Apprenticeships for Under 25s
Reference Documents
Refer to the Resources page for more information regarding:
- Fees and Refunds Policy
- Complaints and Appeals Policy
- Privacy Notice
- Student Handbook
- Employer Handbook
- Course Fee Document