The more education and training you have, the better chance you have of getting the job you want and advancing your career.
Each year thousands of students take up apprenticeship or traineeship opportunities, or enrol in further training to learn new skills and kick start their career.
Career Ready
Career Ready will provide schools students, in Years 10 to 12, with the opportunity to engage with industry and career pathways throughout their schooling.
Implemented from January 2026, Career Ready will include:
Career Tasters – providing immersive experiences for students in Year 10 across various industries, to help them explore their interests and make informed training choices before committing to formal courses.
Free or reduced cost certificate training – supporting students in Years 11 and 12 to undertake a priority certificate I or II level qualification to pursue career aspirations aligned with priority training pathways.
School-based apprenticeships and traineeships – supporting students in Years 10 to 12 to earn a wage, train towards a qualification and study towards their Queensland Certificate of Education at the same time.
Career Ready will replace the existing Vocational Education and Training in Schools (VETiS) program.
What Career Ready means
Career Ready has been designed to help you make good career and training choices, so you can leave school career-ready, informed and confident in what your future holds.
From the first school semester of 2026, Queensland school students can taste test the possibilities of our state's in-demand industries.
Then, with the support to narrow your interests, you can go on to complete certificate I or II level qualifications that are tied to genuine post-school employment or further training pathways.
The qualifications available for study under Career Ready have been supported by industry and align to the state's most in-demand skills.
Participation in courses funded through Career Ready is free for Year 11 and 12 students. This doesn't exclude students from completing other training through their school or by paying for a course with a training provider.
Certificate training
Thinking about studying at TAFE or another Registered Training Organisation (RTO)?
VET courses give you practical, hands-on, industry-relevant training, so you'll be job-ready when you finish your qualification. Study options include pre-apprenticeship, certificate I, II, III & IV and diploma-level qualifications.
Generally, the higher the VET qualification, the longer it takes to complete. You can finish some Certificate II and III courses in less than six months, while diploma courses can take up to two years.
You can use your VET study to get a job, set up your own business or as a pathway to further training.
School-based Apprenticeships and Traineeships
Apprenticeships and traineeships combine training with paid employment. They can be full time, part time, or school-based.
An apprenticeship gives you training in a skilled trade, e.g. electrical, plumbing, cabinet making and automotive mechanics. A traineeship gives you training in a specific vocational area, e.g. administration, ICT, hospitality.
Apprentices and trainees complete a nationally recognised qualification while learning valuable skills at work and under the guidance of a training organisation.
Apprenticeships take up to four years to complete, while traineeships vary in length from 12 months to three years.
You can start a school-based apprenticeship or traineeship in Years 10, 11 or 12, with approval from your school. After you've left school, apprenticeships and traineeships can be full time or part-time depending on your situation.