- Rural and Remote Pilot in Central and North Queensland will enable registered training organisations to provide high-quality, face-to-face training options for Queenslanders living in those regional communities.
- Next initiative from the new Miles Government plan to deliver one million subsidised training places for Queenslanders to access good high paying jobs.
- 899 Central Queensland students will have access to face-to-face training in 15 priority qualifications through 12 training providers, including CQUniversity.
Hundreds of rural and remote Central Queenslanders will have better access to much needed face-to-face training through a new Miles Labor Government initiative aimed at spreading the benefits of progressive coal royalties to the region.
Visiting Rockhampton today, Minister for Training and Skills Development Lance McCallum met with CQUniversity – one of twelve training providers in the Central Queensland region who will collectively support almost 900 Central Queenslanders to access training.
The 12-month Rural and Remote Pilot will focus on increasing the uptake of Certificate III and above qualifications for new students in 11 Central Queensland Local Government Areas to meet local skills needs.
An over 20 per cent increase in the local healthcare and social assistance industry's workforce is expected from 2021-22 to 2025-26, making it the industry with the largest jobs growth in the Central Queensland region.
Training will also be provided in agriculture, rural operations, hospitality, and tourism.
The pilot aims to identify if VET enrolments and completions by rural and remote students increase when training and support is delivered locally, and to help inform future VET investment in these communities.
CQUniversity will deliver the Certificate III in Community Services, Certificate III in Individual Support, Certificate II in Skills for Work and Vocational Pathways, Certificate III in Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander Primary Health Care and Certificate III in Health Services Assistance across the Banana Shire, Woorabinda Shire and Longreach and Central Highlands Regional Council areas.
The North Queensland component of the Rural and Remote Pilot will be announced in the coming weeks.
As stated by Assistant Minister for Health and Regional Health Infrastructure and Member for Keppel Brittany Lauga:
"Being outside of our regional cities, rural and remote Central Queenslanders have told us that access to face-to-face training is one of the key challenges for them.
"From Biloela to Blackall and Winton to Woorabinda, the new Miles Government is making our plan to subsidise training for one million Queenslanders within reach of every Central Queenslander.
"Labor's Big Build means Central Queensland is booming, so this new pilot will deliver good training to help locals get into good jobs.
"It's only fair to the people of rural and remote Central Queensland that they get their fair share of face-to-face TAFE training, funded by progressive coal royalties.
"Importantly, the program will provide increased opportunities and support for people with disability and First Nations people, to participate in inclusive training.
As stated by the Minister for Training and Skills Development Lance McCallum:
"The new Miles Government is committed to making sure all Queenslanders have access to training and to new and exciting job opportunities, no matter where they live.
"We want Central Queenslanders at the front of the line for good local jobs in their region–this new pilot means they can get their hands on their own golden ticket to this decade of opportunity.
"Our Skills Strategy is not just real cost of living relief now, but a chance at a better life, with better pay and a better job, helping grow our economy right across the state.
"There's no clearer difference between Labor and the LNP who will jack up course fees, shut down campuses, and make young Queenslanders pay for their apprenticeships–they'll have to, because they don't back the coal royalties that pay for it."
As stated by Peter Heilbuth, Deputy Vice-President, VET and Business Development, CQUniversity:
"CQUniversity is committed to increasing participation in all levels of education and training by providing access to flexible learning and teaching systems and programs, as well as tailored student support offerings.
"At CQUniversity we firmly believe that geography should never be a barrier to individuals being able to study and attain a qualification that will benefit their careers and communities.
"As a delivery partner within this pilot, we are well-placed to support students and deliver high quality training in health and community services.
"Skills within these service areas are in high need within regional and remote communities in central and western Queensland and we look forward to working with these communities to deliver these much-needed skills."
Rural and Remote Pilot Explainer:
The Rural and Remote Pilot is part of the Good Jobs, Great Training: Queensland Skills Strategy 2024-2028. The strategy is Queensland's five-year plan to further strengthen the state's training system to deliver the skills needed to power the economy and provide access to good jobs for all Queenslanders.
Currently, there are approximately 355 training providers contracted by the Queensland Government to deliver VET across the state to approximately 200,000 students each year.
The Rural and Remote Pilot will be delivered by 12 current Skills Assure Providers including Queensland's public training providers CQUniversity and TAFE Queensland and two new Registered Training Organisations.
Central Queensland Local Government Areas where qualifications for almost 900 students in the Rural and Remote Pilot Program will be delivered include: Banana Shire Council, Barcaldine Shire Council, Barcoo Shire Council, Blackall Tambo Regional Council, Boulia Shire Council, Central Highlands Regional Council, Diamantina Shire Council, Isaac Regional Council, Longreach Regional Council, Winton Shire Council, and Woorabinda Shire Council.
To access the training providers and qualifications in each region go to: https://desbt.qld.gov.au/training/providers/sas/rural-remote-pilot
