Career Boost will help Queenslanders to level-up at work, enabling them to grow their skills to existing or new roles, and to support productivity growth and workplace innovation.

The program delivers training to help individuals develop the higher-level skills needed to secure employment, advance their careers, or progress to further education and training.

Career Boost replaces funding previously available through the Higher-Level Skills and User Choice programs.

Supporting resources

  • Scenarios for Career Boost: Read a range of scenarios for Career Boost students to learn how the funding can be applied to a range of situations.
  • Summary of eligibility table: The summary of eligibility table provides a clear and concise overview of eligibility requirements for the Career Start and Career Boost program.

Career Boost qualifications

To find out what qualifications are available under the Career Boost program:

  1. Go to Queensland Skills Gateway.
  2. In the left-hand pane (‘Refine your search’):
    • scroll to ‘Funded under’
    • select Career Boost
    • click ‘Apply filter’. This will bring up all the available qualifications.
  3. You can further refine this search by adding keywords and industry information in the course search box.

Eligibility

Under Career Boost, a student may access either:

  • 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 in a certificate IV or above.

In addition, under Career Boost, students may access 2 subsidised skill sets in priority industries or sectors.

If the student has already accessed 2 apprenticeships/traineeships through a school-based apprenticeship or traineeship (SAT) or Career Start within the last 10 years, they are not eligible to undertake an apprenticeship/traineeship under Career Boost.

A student cannot complete two qualifications under Career Boost.

Career Start and Career Boost summary of eligibility table provides an overview of eligibility requirements for the Career Boost program.

General training pathway

To access a subsidised training place under Career Boost, a student must meet the following criteria:

  • aged 15 years or older
  • not be a school student
  • permanently reside in Queensland
  • 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 qualifications) completed within the last 10 years* (qualifications completed as a school student, and foundation skills qualifications don't count)
  • ​not be enrolled in another DTET-funded qualification, even if it is on hold or deferred, (foundation skills qualifications and self-funded/fee-for-service qualifications do not impact eligibility).

*Note: This eligibility requirement doesn't apply to individuals seeking to enrol in a skill set.

​When determining eligibility for a general training pathway, qualifications completed within the last 10 years include qualifications funded under previous iterations of the program (e.g. Higher Level Skills program).

Along with the eligibility criteria above, specific entry restrictions or exemptions may apply to certain subsidised qualifications and skill sets. These are set by industry or sector requirements, as well as national training package guidelines.

Career Start and Career Boost summary of eligibility table provides an overview of eligibility requirements for the Career Boost program.

Apprenticeship or traineeship pathway eligibility

To receive government subsidised training, the apprentice or trainee must:

  • not be a school student
  • be currently employed in Queensland under a registered training contract, in an approved apprenticeship or traineeship qualification funded through this program (this requirement does not apply to individuals enrolling in a skill set)
  • ​not be enrolled in another DTET-funded qualification, even if it is on hold or deferred, (foundation skills qualifications and self-funded/fee-for-service qualifications do not impact eligibility).
  • not have completed a Certificate IV or higher qualification, including university studies, in the past 10 years (qualifications completed at school, and foundation skills qualifications, don’t impact eligibility)
  • not have completed more than 2 government-funded apprenticeships or traineeships within the last 10 years, including school-based apprenticeships or traineeships.

Scenarios with eligibility answers for general training and apprenticeships and traineeships

The scenarios below provide real-life examples of individuals exploring their remaining eligibility after completing or starting other training. Each example outlines how the individual’s learning history needs to be reviewed for eligibility to be correctly assessed.

To confirm eligibility, Skills Assured Suppliers should contact their Contract Manager with the individual’s first name, surname, and date of birth. These scenarios are most helpful when reviewed alongside the summary of eligibility table.

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Sally wants to enrol in the Diploma of Hospitality Management under the Career Boost general training pathway. She previously completed a Diploma of Business as part of her school studies through fee-for-service arrangements. After leaving school, Sally undertook a Certificate III in Hospitality, which she completed in 2013. Following this, she was offered an apprenticeship in Certificate IV in Commercial Cookery, which she successfully completed in 2015.

Sally later left the hospitality industry and began working in meat processing. Her employer offered her a traineeship in Certificate IV in Meat Processing in a part-time capacity, but Sally ultimately decided to cancel the traineeship due to cost-of-living pressures. Wanting to continue her studies outside of a traineeship, Sally completed the Meat Processing New Supervisor Skill Set in 2021.

Sally’s learning history and eligibility

  • The Certificate IV in Commercial Cookery apprenticeship, was completed more than 10 years ago and does not affect her eligibility.
  • The Certificate IV in Meat Processing traineeship, was cancelled and does not affect her eligibility.
  • The Diploma of Business was completed at school through fee-for-service arrangements and does not affect her eligibility.
  • The Certificate III in Hospitality is at a certificate III level and does not affect her eligibility.
  • The Meat Processing New Supervisor Skill Set is a skill set, and does not affect her eligibility.

Eligibility outcome

Yes, Sally Smith is eligible to enrol in the Diploma of Hospitality Management under the Career Boost general training pathway. The previous training she has completed does not impact her eligibility.

Daniel Dawson is looking to expand his experience in the hospitality industry by enrolling in the Diploma of Hospitality Management under the Career Boost general training pathway. Daniel has previously completed the Certificate III in Hospitality, which he self-funded, and later completed the Certificate IV in Kitchen Management through an apprenticeship. Is Daniel eligible to undertake the Diploma of Hospitality Management through the Career Boost general training pathway?

Daniel’s learning history and eligibility

  • The Certificate III in Hospitality is an Australian Qualification Framework (AQF) level 3 qualification and does not impact his entitlement under the Career Boost program.
  • The Certificate IV in Kitchen Management was completed through an apprenticeship within the last 10 years and does impact his eligibility.

Eligibility outcome

No, Daniel Dawson is not eligible to enrol in the Diploma of Hospitality Management under the Career Boost general training pathway. The completion of the Certificate IV in Kitchen Management within the last 10 years affects his entitlement to access another higher-level qualification under the Career Boost program

Ramesh Kaur wishes to enrol in the Certificate IV in Engineering under the Career Boost apprenticeship/traineeship pathway. Ramesh previously completed a Certificate I in Construction in 2013. In 2024, he successfully completed a Diploma of Leadership and Management.

Ramesh’s learning history and eligibility

  • The Certificate I in Construction is a lower-level qualification and does not affect his eligibility.
  • The Diploma of Leadership and Management was completed within the last 10 years and does affect his eligibility.

Eligibility outcome

No, Ramesh Kaur is not eligible to enrol in the Certificate IV in Engineering under the Career Boost apprenticeship/traineeship pathway. The completion of the Diploma of Leadership and Management within the last 10 years impacts his entitlement to access funding for another higher-level qualification under the Career Boost program.

Lola Franks is interested in enrolling in the Diploma of Laboratory Technology under the Career Boost apprenticeship/traineeship pathway. In 2014, she successfully completed a Certificate III in Laboratory Skills. She also obtained a first-aid certificate and later completed a DTET-funded Certificate IV in Laboratory Techniques through a traineeship in 2019.

Lola’s learning history and eligibility

  • The Certificate III in Laboratory Skills is an AQF level 3 qualification and does not impact her entitlement under the Career Boost program.
  • The Certificate IV in Laboratory Techniques was completed through a DTET-funded traineeship within the last 10 years and does affect her eligibility.
  • Subject Only Training – The first aid certificate is not on the Queensland Subsidised Training List (QSTL) and was delivered by a school, so it does not affect her eligibility.

Eligibility outcome

No, Lola Franks is not eligible to enrol in the Diploma of Laboratory Technology under the Career Boost apprenticeship/traineeship pathway. While the QSTL requires students to hold a Certificate IV in Laboratory Techniques to enrol (waiving the restriction on prior completion of a Certificate IV or higher qualification outside of school), it also specifies that the Diploma cannot be DTET-funded if the student has completed a DTET-funded Certificate IV within the last 10 years.

Since Lola completed a DTET-funded Certificate IV in Laboratory Techniques in 2019, she does not meet the funding eligibility criteria.

Bindi Michaelson is currently employed as a therapy aide in the allied health industry and is now looking to move into management by enrolling in the Certificate IV in Allied Health Assistance under the Career Boost general training pathway.

While at school, Bindi completed the Certificate IV in Accounting and Bookkeeping. After finishing school, she completed the Certificate III in Allied Health Assistance as a traineeship with a funded SAS provider.

Bindi’s learning history and eligibility

  • The Certificate IV in Accounting and Bookkeeping was completed while at school as higher-level general training and does not affect her eligibility.
  • The Certificate III in Allied Health Assistance is an AQF level 3 qualification and does not impact her entitlement under the Career Boost program.

Eligibility outcome

Yes, Bindi Michaelson is eligible to enrol in the Certificate IV in Allied Health Assistance under the Career Boost general training pathway. The previous training she has completed does not affect her eligibility.

Related information

Last updated 2 July 2026

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