Industry and employers
Great skills. Real opportunities. The Queensland Government reform action plan for
further education and training
Great skills. Real opportunities. will meet the challenge of training Queenslanders
for employment.
Great skills. Real opportunities. will reform Queensland’s further education and training sector.
The needs of students and employers will underpin the state’s training system. This will enable every
Queenslander to obtain great skills for real job opportunities and boost economic and social prosperity for
all.
Great skills. Real opportunities. reforms commenced in 2013 with roll out continuing over the next five
years.
A genuine partnership
The Queensland Government’s training investment will be focused on priority qualifications that directly
lead to employment or career development.
Government will partner with industry and employers across the state to meet the challenge of matching
training to employment opportunities.
A new Ministerial Industry Commission with industry and employer representatives will advise the Minister
for Education, Training and Employment on skilling priorities.
Small, medium and large enterprises will be able to provide advice through regional information forums to
ensure they are given a genuine voice on local, regional and state skilling requirements.
The Commission will produce an annual skills priority report that details short, medium and long term
workforce development and skill needs.
Transparent investment in skills for the economy
Government will subsidise training that provides students with the skills needed by the economy and that
will lead to employment and career development.
A new, transparent vocational education and training investment framework will be introduced with
government, industry, employers and students sharing the cost of training.
Government training funds will be available contestably to private and public training providers, which will
increase the quality and availability of providers.
A new website will provide comprehensive career and training information for students, industry, employers
and training providers.
Employing apprentices and trainees
Employing and managing apprentices and trainees will be made easier. Government will:

provide a $5000 bonus for employers to retain school-based apprentices in full-time work after school
through the $10 million School to Trade Pathway program

provide $3 million in incentives to group training organisations to employ additional apprentices

reduce barriers to attracting and retaining apprentices through nationally consistent regulation
arrangements

simplify and streamline administration and online processing to make it easier to take on, train and
retain apprentices and trainees

enable complementary, flexible trade training pathways for a broader range of industries

make trade recognition easier for casual and other employees through the Registered Trade Skills
Pathway and other initiatives that will complement existing trade pathways

improve regional assistance for employers, including advice on flexible trade training pathways and
pre-apprenticeship career planning through dedicated regional government officers

review and improve the User Choice program to ensure ongoing certainty for students, employers and
training providers.
Workforce planning and development
Small to medium regional employers will be assisted to develop local workforce plans and access relevant
training through a $3 million Regional Workforce Development Initiative.
Regional government training staff will provide advice and support for employers to build on their current
workforce strengths and capabilities, plan development opportunities and access training.
A new industry partnership strategy will provide training in critical skill shortage areas for particular industry
sectors, specific student cohorts or individuals through industry and employer co‑investment in government
subsidised training.
Creating a stronger TAFE Queensland
The Queensland Government has made a commitment to clearly define the role, purpose and strategic
direction of TAFE Queensland.
The TAFE Queensland Act 2013 establishes TAFE Queensland as an independent statutory body with a
commercial focus from 1 July 2013. The Act also allows for the future creation of seven amalgamated
TAFE institutes, the formation of a commercially focused board and the appointment of a chief executive
officer.
Smarter approaches to investing in and managing TAFE assets, such as property, to reflect the future
needs of TAFE’s business are part of the planned reform of TAFE. This will include facilitating third party
access and improving asset use.
Government will:

maximise use and return on investment of the state’s training facilities

open up access to public training assets for use by private and public providers

sell facilities that are no longer needed or fit‑for‑purpose and reinvest the proceeds in training and
modern, attractive learning and training environments

adopt new approaches to service delivery including leasing and renting training facilities and increasing
place-based, workplace and online delivery.
Industry and employers will be encouraged to work more closely with TAFE Queensland to deliver training
directly linked to employment.
The government’s goal is to create a stronger, more agile and efficient TAFE that delivers great outcomes
for students, industry, employers and the community.
Great skills. Real opportunities. reform action plan and factsheets are available at
http://www.training.qld.gov.au/greatskills. Factsheets include:

overview

apprentices and trainees

regional communities

students and parents

TAFE Queensland reforms

training providers.
© June 2013 Queensland Department of Education, Training and Employment