The Queensland Government has announced a $19 million pilot program to help train and retain apprentices across the state.
The Small Business Apprenticeship Pilot Program will subsidise the wages of construction apprentices during off-site training – easing the financial burden for small business owners.
Eligible small businesses can receive a wage subsidy of 50% of the typical wage for first and second year construction apprentices and 25% for third and fourth year apprentices while attending the equivalent of up to eight weeks of training a year.
Minister for Finance, Trade, Employment and Training Ros Bates said the new pilot program was a major step in strengthening Queensland’s construction workforce.
“This directly responds to calls from the small business industry to ease the pressure of training and retaining skilled workers in this crucial sector, and we’re delivering support just as we promised,” Minister Bates said.
“The construction industry is the third largest industry in Queensland and is central to some of our key priorities, including delivering vital housing, health, transport and infrastructure projects, and of course the Brisbane 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games.
“For a decade, Labor presided over a skills shortage, allowing the skills gap to widen while demand for housing and infrastructure soared.
“I heard directly from industry what we need to do to fix Labor’s skills shortage, and help build Queensland’s construction workforce, and we are getting on with the job.”
The program includes:
- apprentices under 21 may be eligible for a total subsidy payment of $10,060 over four years;
- apprentices 21 and over may be eligible for a total subsidy payment of $13,740 over four years.
The pilot program is set to support 2,000 small business employed construction trade apprentices across the state who commenced their apprenticeship from 1 July 2025.
Small business owners can register once an apprentice has completed their probation period, and will be eligible for the subsidy once the apprentice is enrolled and attends training.
Minister for Small and Family Business, Steve Minnikin said the program was being funded as part of the Government’s Small and Family Business First Action Statement.
“Our government is stepping up with new funding of over $100 million to assist small and family businesses to grow and succeed,” Minister Minnikin said.
“We want small and family construction businesses to continue to employ and train more apprentices, but also retain apprentices to deliver critical infrastructure.”
More information is available at business.qld.gov.au/apprentice-pilot.
