Privacy Notice – Collection of personal information

The Department of Trade, Employment and Training (DTET) collects your personal information  as part of the administration and delivery of the Queensland Training Awards (QTA), including nomination, judging and event management processes.

The personal information held by DTET will be collected, used and disclosed in accordance with the Information Privacy Act 2009 (Qld), specifically the Queensland Privacy Principles (QPPs).

DTET will collect your personal information for the following purposes:

  • administering nominations and eligibility assessment for QTA
  • contacting nominees, nominators, referees and stakeholders
  • facilitating judging, moderation and governance processes
  • promoting QTA and award recipients (where express consent is provided)
  • engaging in program evaluation, reporting, auditing and continuous improvement
  • managing any risk, integrity, complaints or compliance matters.

DTET may disclose your personal information to:

  • QTA judges (generally comprised of industry stakeholders, departmental employees, sponsors and past nominees and alumni)
  • Queensland Government agencies involved in regulatory, governance, integrity, audit or reporting functions
  • Federal Government agencies involved in the delivery of QTA (generally the Federal Government agency having responsibility for vocational education and training)
  • service providers engaged to support program delivery (including IT platform providers and event partners)
  • QTA sponsors (where relevant and appropriate)
  • The Minister responsible for the State employment and training portfolio from time to time.

If you do not wish for certain aspects of your personal information to be collected by DTET, please notify DTET. However, please be aware that this may prevent you from being able to participate in the QTA program.

Note: Information held in the Award Force platform (online nomination portal) is held in Australia in the cloud (managed by a third-party provider) and is subject to the requirements of the Information Privacy Act 2009 (Qld), including the Queensland Privacy Principles (QPP).

Refer to our Privacy Policy for further information about collection, use, disclosure and security of your personal information. The Privacy Policy also provides information on how you can access and amend your personal information or make a privacy complaint about use of your personal information and how DTET will handle your complaint.

By entering the Department of Trade, Employment and Training Queensland Training Awards, you agree to abide by the following conditions of entry.

Eligibility and nomination rules

  • All nominations must be submitted online via the online nomination portal during the nomination period, typically December/January to March.
  • Nominations close at midnight (Queensland time) on the specified closing date. When necessary, DTET reserves the right to extend the deadline for applications for categories.
  • Nominees for the individual categories must be an Australian citizen or permanent resident of Australia and have completed, be due to complete or deliver training with a Registered Training Organisation in Queensland.
  • Each category has specific criteria, which are articulated in the awards categories section of this website. All applications must meet the criteria for the category to be considered a valid entry. Non-compliance with entry criteria is a sufficient reason for the QTA to reject a nomination.
  • Nominees can submit only 1 entry in each category, but can nominate for more than 1 category if eligible.
  • For an entry to be valid, nominees must fully complete an online nomination addressing all relevant criteria, and submit it via the online nomination portal.
  • Nominees must not be nominated for any similar award in another state or territory in the same year.
  • It is the responsibility of all applicants and nominators to ensure they have selected the correct category, and submitted the application for that category by the specified nomination closing date. The QTA reserves the right to re-assign applications lodged to incorrect categories at its complete discretion.
  • The submission must be formatted as per the nomination guidance provided in the online nominations portal for each award. Any material in excess of attachment limits specified for each category will not be forwarded for judging.
  • By submitting a nomination, the individual nominee, or employee nominee and employer nominator must declare that all information provided is true and correct to the best of their knowledge.

Training, compliance and suitability requirements

  • All training initiatives, courses, products and Registered Training Organisations referenced in nominations must be nationally recognised (i.e. training which is based on a national training package or accredited course, and result in a formal qualification or statement of attainment by a Registered Training Organisation).
  • Nominating Registered Training Organisations must be recognised by the Australian Skills Quality Authority.
  • All nominees must comply with all relevant State and Commonwealth laws, regulations, codes and standards with regard to vocational education and training, workplace health and safety, and industrial relations matters. DTET may refuse to proceed with a nomination at any time where an organisation or individual is under investigation by a regulatory authority, law enforcement agency or has unresolved compliance issues with DTET or any other State or Federal government agency. This includes circumstances where a complaint, investigation, criminal charge, corporate insolvency (organisations) or regulatory compliance matter is identified after nomination, during the judging process, or prior to award events, including the Australian Training Awards.
  • All nominees recommended for progression by the QTA judging panels, along with finalists and award recipients, are actively assessed for suitability against these Conditions of Entry and prevailing community expectations, to ensure the ongoing integrity and good standing of the QTA program.
  • DTET reserves the right to reassess suitability of a participant (whether they be an individual nominee, employer organisation, finalist or award recipient/winner) where circumstances emerge that present, or could present, a material concern for the State of Queensland, including concerns relating to reputation, insolvency (organisations), conflicts of interest, criminality, ethics or public safety (a 'suitability issue').
  • For the avoidance of doubt, DTET has a right to revoke an individual or organisation’s nomination or award where a suitability issue arises with respect to that individual or organisation at any time and at the complete discretion of DTET.
  • All participants (nominees/nominators) have an obligation to:
    • be open, honest and transparent with respect to the information they provide to DTET in support of their application
    • act appropriately, courteously and professionally at all times
    • avoid engaging in conduct that has the potential to bring the QTA, DTET or the Queensland State Government into disrepute or cause it reputational harm.

Nominee judging process - interviews and progression

  • To progress, all nominees must participate in the interview process during the judging period.
  • All shortlisted nominees must be available for an online interview during the judging period (April/May). Interviews are scheduled for one day only within this period. Nominees must advise the QTA team of any known unavailability in advance. A failure to notify of unavailability by the advised date (typically around mid April) may affect progression.
  • All nominees will be advised in writing of the outcome of their nominations (typically during April) or interviews (typically during May).
  • QTA winners of aligned categories will be nominated by Queensland for the Australian Training Awards. All nominations for the Australian Training Awards will be considered by the Australian Training Awards judging panels, and finalists for each award category will be required to attend the Australian Training Awards finalists week and presentation ceremony in November/December. Learn more about the judging process.
  • Feedback regarding judging and selection can be requested up to 30 September of the nomination year.
  • All decisions and recommendations of the judging panels are binding and final

Attendance at awards events

  • Attendance and active, appropriate engagement in key events is mandatory for all finalists. This includes QTA finalist preparation activities and award presentation ceremonies at the regional levels (July/August) and State levels (September) – with the State final awards ceremony typically held in Brisbane.
  • Finalist engagements may also include Queensland finalist team development activities such as personal branding and media training ahead of the Australian Training Awards.
  • At the national level, finalists must participate in Australian Training Awards Finalists Week, including the national awards presentation, held in the host State or Territory (typically varies each year).

Use of QTA participant images or recordings

  • By applying, all applicants to the QTA agree that all non-confidential details from their nominations, photographs and recordings can be used online, in any broadcast and print or social media and in a range of publicity and promotional materials by the Queensland Government.
  • The Queensland Government reserves the right to use all or part of any material generated (photographs, film footage, application submissions or any detail) for the purpose of the QTA or for publication online, in print or other broadcast media, for publicity, promotional materials (including departmental Christmas cards) or campaigns related to the Queensland Government.
  • Finalists and winners of the QTA may be required to participate in media interviews, promotional events and activities.
  • By registering to nominate and expressing interest, all prospective nominees opt-in to receive the QTA newsletter and email marketing and can opt-out at any time, using easy-to-access unsubscribe links within emails or via reply email.

Use and disclosure of nominee (and nominator) personal information

  • DTET may use and / or disclose personal information collected from the materials you submit in your nomination application, including personal information contained in print, photographs, recordings, and images – in full or in part – in the following media publications:
    • DTET social media including Skills for Queensland (Facebook), DTET LinkedIn and DTET’s YouTube pages.
    • Ministerial media (e.g. media releases, social media or other communication of the Minister with responsibility for the employment and training portfolio).
    • DTET or State Government print or online media advertising the QTA.
    • DTET or State Government print or online media advertising the QTA or State and Federal vocational training initiatives, programs and opportunities.
  • DTET may also disclose your personal information to the following persons and/or entities:
    • DTET personnel involved in the delivery of the QTA.
    • QTA judges (generally industry stakeholders, departmental employees, sponsors [i.e. VET sector organisations], and past nominees and alumni).
    • Queensland Government agencies involved in regulatory, governance, integrity, audit or reporting functions.
    • Federal Government agencies involved in the delivery of the Australian Training Awards (i.e. the Federal Government agency having primary responsibility for vocational education and training).
    • Service providers contracted by DTET to support program delivery (including third party IT platform providers and event partners).
    • QTA sponsors (where relevant and appropriate).
    • The Minister with responsibility for the State employment and training portfolio, from time to time.

Media interview and promotions

  • Finalists and award recipients/winners of the QTA may be required to participate in media interviews and other promotional activities such as speaking engagements at departmental or industry events.
  • Active, appropriate engagement, consistent with the ambassadorial role of the QTA platform, is expected.

Last updated 27 February 2026

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