Government-funded automotive training in Queensland

Career Start — General Training

Certificate II automotive qualifications — entry-level funded pathway

Career Start General Training is the funded entry pathway for eligible Queensland residents commencing a Certificate II automotive qualification. It replaced Certificate 3 Guarantee for entry-level training. A student co-contribution fee applies unless an exemption applies.

Eligibility requires:

• ✓Queensland resident
• ✓Australian citizen, permanent resident, or eligible NZ citizen
• ✓Not currently enrolled in another qualification
• ✓Has not completed a Certificate III or above within the previous 10 years
• ✓Not exceeded two government-funded apprenticeships/traineeships in the previous 10 years

Approved qualifications (Career Start General Training):

Career Start — Apprenticeships & Traineeships

Most common funded pathway for QLD trade students

If you have a registered Queensland training contract, your apprenticeship or traineeship training is subsidised under Career Start. A student co-contribution fee of $1.60 per nominal hour applies, though this may be reduced or fully waived depending on your circumstances.

Eligibility requires:

• ✓Registered Queensland training contract
• ✓Permanent Queensland resident
• ✓Australian citizen, permanent resident, eligible humanitarian entrant or eligible NZ citizen
• ✓Not currently enrolled in another qualification
• ✓Not more than two government-funded apprenticeships/traineeships in the last 10 years
• ✓Qualification on Mechanist's approved QLD Delivery Schedule

Free Apprenticeships for Under 25s

No student co-contribution fee for eligible candidates

Eligible Queensland apprentices and trainees under 25 commencing a priority trade qualification may pay no student fees at all. The Queensland Government covers the student co-contribution fee for eligible candidates. This program applies to training contracts commenced between 1 July 2025 and 30 June 2027.

To qualify you need to:

• ✓Be under 25 at the time of entering or re-entering a training contract
• ✓Have a registered Queensland training contract
• ✓Be enrolled in an eligible priority apprenticeship or traineeship qualification
• ✓Not be a current school student
• ✓Have commenced or recommenced within the approved program period (1 July 2025 – 30 June 2027)
• ✓Not exceed the two government-funded A/T limit within 10 years

School-Based Apprenticeships & Traineeships (SATs)

Years 10–12 students in Queensland schools

Queensland school students in Years 10–12 can commence a registered training contract alongside their QCE studies. Training is funded by DTET under the SAT program and delivered at the workplace by Mechanist. Students are enrolled in one SAT only at any time — either a school-based apprenticeship or traineeship, not both.

Requirements:

• ✓Enrolled in Year 10, 11 or 12 at a Queensland school
• ✓Registered school-based training contract
• ✓Not concurrently enrolled in another qualification funded by DTET
• ✓School, employer and parent/guardian agreement in place