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The Career Ready Program is funded by the Queensland Government to give eligible students funding to complete a Certificate I or II level qualification while attending secondary school.

Career Ready qualifications can be undertaken in years 10, 11 and 12, and may provide credit towards the Queensland Certificate of Education.

Aurora Training Institute is a Skills Assure Supplier under this program for the delivery of this Certificate II qualification.

QLD State Government Career Ready Program is only available for one Certificate II qualification for each student.

As students can only access the Career Ready Program subsidy once, it is important that they consider and compare their training options to ensure they align with their chosen career pathway.

Every student that completes or discontinues a Career Ready Program, must complete a Student Training and Employment Survey within 3 months.

Eligibility Criteria

Students must meet the following criteria:

• be first enrolled under the VET in Schools 2026 Program on or after 1 January 2026;
• be enrolled in a Queensland school in Years 10, 11 or 12;
• not be an international secondary exchange student in Queensland;
• not be enrolled in a Qualification funded by the Department including a school-based apprenticeship or traineeship;
• not have previously completed a Qualification funded by the Department under VETiS or a similar program by whatever name; and
• have a genuine interest in pursuing a post-school vocational occupation.

Suppliers must ensure Students meet any Qualification eligibility exemptions and/or restrictions as specified within the Queensland Subsidised Training List (QSTL) (where applicable).

Fees

There are no student fees applicable for this course.

More Information

For more information on the Career READY program visit the Queensland Government website at:

https://www.qld.gov.au/education/training/subsidies/career-ready

The Career Start Program is a Queensland Government initiative designed to equip job seekers and workers with the skills and support needed to build sustainable careers in priority and emerging industries.

Replacing the Certificate 3 Guarantee, this program aims to improve access to affordable, high-quality vocational education by offering low-cost Certificate III qualifications and free or subsidised apprenticeships and traineeships. It also expands access to essential foundation skills—such as language, literacy, numeracy and employability capabilities—ensuring individuals are job-ready and confident.

Career Start places a strong emphasis on regional and remote inclusion, helping to deliver training where it is most needed across Queensland.

Delivered through a network of trusted Skills Assure Suppliers, the program is purpose-built to strengthen workforce participation, address skill shortages, and create positive student outcomes by aligning training to real employment opportunities.

Eligibility Criteria

The Career Start Program has the following eligibility requirements:

• Be a permanent Queensland resident.
• Be an Australian citizen, or Australian permanent resident (includes humanitarian entrant), or temporary resident with the right visa and work permits on the pathway to permanent residency, or a New Zealand citizen.
• Not currently be enrolled in a Qualification.
• Not have previously completed a certificate III or higher-level Qualification within the last 10 years for a general training pathway (qualifications completed as a school student, and foundation skills qualifications, do not count).

Student Contribution Fee

The Student Contribution Fee under the Career START (General Training) Program is $3.00 per unit (Concessional and non-concessional). This fee represents the total cost to the student to enroll, undertake training and be awarded the qualification.

More Information

For more information on the Career START Program, including eligibility requirements, subsidy information, concessional student status and program related documents, visit https://www.qld.gov.au/education/training/subsidies/career-start

Eligibility Criteria

Eligible Students must meet the following criteria:

• are currently employed as a Queensland apprentice or trainee (under a registered training contract) in an eligible apprenticeship or traineeship Qualification through this Program.
• not currently be enrolled in a Qualification.
• not exceed a maximum of two government-funded apprenticeships/traineeships within a 10-year period.
• Students will be funded a maximum of two government funded apprenticeships/traineeships across the School-based Apprenticeships and Traineeships (SATs),
• Career Start and Career Boost Programs. The two apprenticeships/traineeships can be undertaken in this Career Start Program.
• Students can receive funding for only one apprenticeship or traineeship at a time. If two training contracts are registered at the same time, the contract with the earliest start date will qualify for funding, provided all other eligibility requirements are met.

Student Contribution Fee

The Co-Contribution Fee under the Career Start program is dependent on the elective choice.
Fees are paid at a rate of $1.60 per nominal hour. This fee represents the total cost to the student to enroll, undertake training and be awarded the qualification.
The contribution fee may be paid on behalf of the student by their employer or a third party unrelated to Aurora Training Institute.

More Information

For more information on the Career Start Traineeship and Apprenticeship Program visit Queensland Government website at https://desbt.qld.gov.au/training/apprentices

Eligibility Criteria

Eligible Students will be able to be funded for a maximum of one (1) School-based apprenticeship or traineeship and must meet the following criteria:

• Be enrolled in Year 10, 11, or 12 in a Queensland School
• Not be concurrently enrolled in any other Qualifications funded by the Department; and
• Have entered into a training contract (training contract) for a Qualification that is funded by the Department and be registered on the Department’s training database.

Student Contribution Fee

When studying a School-based traineeship you are exempt from paying co-contribution fees under the Career Start program whilst still at school but may be required to pay fees if the training contract is converted to full-time or part-time. Aurora Training Institute may advise you if exemptions apply.

Career Boost (General Training) program

Career Boost provides eligible individuals with one subsidised training place in either a Certificate IV, Diploma, or Advanced Diploma qualification under the general training pathway or a higher-level apprenticeship/traineeship at certificate IV or above and up to two subsidised skill sets.

The Program delivers training designed to help individuals develop the higher-level skills necessary to secure employment, advance their careers, or progress to further education and training through related university or tertiary qualifications.

Eligibility Criteria

• Aged 15 years or older.
• Not be a school student.
• Be a permanent Queensland resident.
• Be an Australian citizen, or Australian permanent resident (includes humanitarian entrant), or a temporary resident with the right visa and work permits on the pathway to permanent residency, or a New Zealand citizen.
• Not already have a Certificate IV or higher qualification (including tertiary qualification) completed within the last 10 years (qualifications started as a school student, and foundation skills qualifications, do not count).
• Not be enrolled in any other qualification, whether funded or unfunded, except for foundation skills qualifications.

Student Contribution Fee

The Student Contribution Fee under the Career Boost (General Training) Program is $3.00 per unit (Concessional and non-concessional). This fee represents the total cost to the student to enroll, undertake training and be awarded the qualification.

More Information

For more information on the Career Boost (General Training) program, including eligibility requirements, subsidy information, concessional student status and program related documents, visit https://www.qld.gov.au/education/training/subsidies/career-boost 

Eligibility Criteria

• Are currently employed as a Queensland apprentice or trainee (under a registered training contract) in an eligible apprenticeship or traineeship qualification through this Program.

(This eligibility requirement does not apply to individuals seeking to enroll in a skill set)

• Not be a school student.
• Not currently be enrolled in any other qualification, whether funded or unfunded, except for foundation skills qualifications.
• Not already have a Certificate IV or higher qualification (including tertiary qualification) completed within the last 10 years (qualifications started as a school student, and foundation skills qualifications, do not count).
• Not exceed a maximum of two government-funded apprenticeships/traineeships within a 10-year period.

Student Contribution Fee

Individuals undertaking training must contribute to their training costs through a co-contribution fee.

The Student Contribution Fee under the This Traineeship and Apprenticeship Career Boost program is $1.60 per unit (concessional and non-concessional).

This fee per unit, represents the total cost to the student to enroll, undertake training and be awarded the qualification.

More Information

For more information on the Career BOOST (General Training) program, including eligibility requirements, subsidy information, concessional student status and program related documents, visit https://www.qld.gov.au/education/training/subsidies/career-boost

The Free Apprenticeships for Under 25s Program is part of the Free TAFE initiatives, a commitment of the National Jobs and Skills Summit to make more places fee free, allowing more Queenslanders to become skilled in areas critical for the economy.

This Program offers fully subsidized training for young people under 25 years who commence in a priority apprenticeship and traineeship qualification.

This Program Schedule 7 outlines rules and expectations in addition to the Skills Assure Supplier Policy 2025-2028 and the Skills Assure Supplier Agreement (the Agreement).