Free & Reduced-Cost Training

Spark your skills power and take charge of your career with free and reduced-cost courses, apprenticeships and traineeships

Skills Assured Supplier

Free & Reduced-Cost Training

Harness Energy is proud to deliver free and reduced-cost training in Queensland through the state government’s Skills Assure program.

From 1 July 2025, the Queensland government introduced two new funded training programs—Career Start (for job seekers) and Career Boost (for workers).

About Career Start

What is Career Start?

Career Start supports Queensland job seekers to start their career, or move into more skilled roles or full-time employment.

You can participate in either a general training pathway, or an employment-based apprenticeship or traineeship pathway. You’ll receive reduced-cost entry-level training aligned to the skill outcomes required by industry.

Career Start provides eligible Queenslanders with:

  • Affordable Certificate III qualifications in high-demand industries
  • Apprenticeships and traineeships with real career outcomes
  • Foundation skills support (LLN & digital skills)
  • Training options for women and priority cohorts
  • Support with reading, writing, maths, digital and employability skills if you need it
  • More training available across regional and remote Queensland

To be eligible, you must not already hold a Certificate III or higher qualification (unless it was completed at school or is a foundation skills course).

About Career Boost

What is Career Boost?

Career Boost is for workers who want to take the next step in their career, whether that’s moving into a supervisor role, gaining a diploma, or starting a higher-level apprenticeship.

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.

Under Career Boost, eligible Queenslanders may access:

  • Subsidised Certificate IV, Diploma or Advanced Diploma qualifications in priority industries
  • Higher-level apprenticeships or traineeships (Certificate IV and above)
  • Skills to help you progress at work, gain promotions, or transition into new industries

To be eligible to access Career Boost, you must be employed and not already hold a qualification at the same or higher level.

Career Start - Eligibility Criteria

Career Start – General Training Pathway

  • You must be 15 years or older and no longer at school
  • You must live in Queensland permanently
  • You must be an Australian or New Zealand citizen, a permanent resident, or a temporary resident with the right visa/work permits (on the pathway to PR)
  • You must not already hold a Certificate III or higher completed in the last 10 years (school-based qualifications and foundation skills don’t count)
  • You can’t be enrolled in another qualification at the same time (except foundation skills)

Career Start – Traineeships

  • You must be 15 years or older
  • You must meet the same residency and visa rules as above
  • You must be employed under a registered apprenticeship or traineeship contract
  • You must not have completed more than two apprenticeships/traineeships in the last 10 years

Career Start – Fees

  • For general training, Harness sets a co-contribution fee per qualification
  • For traineeships, the government sets the fee at $1.60 per nominal training hour
  • Discounts apply if you’re under 17 and not at school/Year 12, hold a concession card, or identify as Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander
  • Co-contribution fees are published at the qualification level on our website (see Fees tables)
  • Fees must reflect the total cost of the qualification (including materials)

Career Boost - Eligibility Criteria

Career Boost – Traineeships

  • You must be 15 years or older
  • You must meet the same residency and visa rules as above
  • You must be employed under a registered traineeship contract
  • You must not have completed more than two apprenticeships/traineeships in the last 10 years

Career Boost – Fees

  • For apprenticeships/traineeships, the government sets the fee at $1.60 per nominal training hour
  • Discounts apply if you’re under 17 and not at school/Year 12, hold a concession card, or identify as Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander
  • Co-contribution fees are published on our website (see Fees tables)
  • Fees must reflect the total cost of the qualification (including materials)

Fees

 

Qualification Program Pathway Co-Contribution Fee Fee for Service Price (as per website)
RII21120 Certificate II in Oil & Gas Drilling (Onshore) Career Start General Training TBA* (Harness to set fee) $2,500
RII21120 Certificate II in Oil & Gas Drilling (Onshore) Career Start Traineeship $1.60 per nominal training hour** N/A
BSB30120 Certificate III in Business Career Start General Training TBA* (Harness to set fee) $2,600
BSB30120 Certificate III in Business Career Start Traineeship $1.60 per nominal training hour** N/A
BSB30719 Certificate III in Work Health & Safety Career Start Traineeship $1.60 per nominal training hour** $2,600
RII32020 Certificate III in Drilling Oil & Gas (Onshore) Career Start Traineeship $1.60 per nominal training hour** $2,500
BSB40520 Certificate IV in Leadership & Management Career Boost Traineeship $1.60 per nominal training hour** $2,600

NOTES:
*Skills Assure Suppliers must charge and publish a single co-contribution fee for the entire qualification. This fee must be expressed as a total qualification cost and cannot be broken down into unit-by-unit charges.
**Skills Assure Suppliers must charge a co-contribution fee for each traineeship qualification undertaken.