Frequently asked questions
The Right Skills Strategy 2025–2028 is the Queensland Government’s plan to give Queenslanders the skills needed to succeed in a fast-changing economy.
The strategy sets out a clear path to build a strong, skilled workforce that can meet today’s challenges and take advantage of tomorrow’s opportunities.
With more than $5 billion in funding over 4 years, The Right Skills Strategy brings together government, industry, training providers, employers, educators, and students to deliver skills where they are needed most.
The Right Skills Strategy will:
- grow a skilled workforce to strengthen Queensland’s industries and economy
- expand training access in regional areas
- deliver a wide range of training providers
- build more state-of-the-art TAFE facilities
- invest in a new generation of trainers.
The strategy will build on the strength of Queensland’s training sector. It will make training more accessible and provide people with the skills needed for businesses and industries to grow.
The strategy will:
- put students at the centre of the training system, with more support to access and complete the right training
- create stronger links between industry demand and training supply
- support a diverse mix of quality training options both TAFE and non-TAFE providers
- invest in new facilities, the next generation of trainers, and better access to training in regional areas
- make sure training keeps pace with changing skills needs each year through an annual Training Priorities Plan.
The strategy will give Queenslanders more opportunities to build skills and careers.
You will benefit in the following ways:
- Funded training: over $1 billion invested in 2025–26 will make training more accessible and affordable.
- Employment opportunities: the strategy will support Queenslanders to take up more than 430,000 jobs projected by 2028, focusing on key services like health, housing and construction.
- More support: students will have access to better information on training options and more support to successfully complete their training
- Regional access: Access to training across regional Queensland so communities outside the cities benefit too.
- Modern facilities: There will be investment in world-class TAFE campuses and new TAFE Centres of Excellence.
- Diverse providers: A strong mix of TAFE, private and not-for-profit Skills Assure Suppliers will give people more choice and access to training.
Overall, the strategy will make sure Queenslanders can get the right skills at the right time, creating strong career pathways and helping the state’s economy grow.
The Right Skills Strategy is Queensland’s roadmap to deliver on the National Skills Agreement, including:
- training more construction workers to boost housing supply
- building the essential care sector workforce through industry-led skills solutions
- helping more apprentices and students finish their courses
- expanding access to foundation skills
- supporting the shift to a new national VET data system.
By working together, Queensland is helping build a stronger national training system.
The Right Skills Strategy will be delivered through:
- an annual Training Priorities Plan that sets out actions to meet workforce needs each year
- partnerships with training providers, industry and community groups to co-design and deliver training solutions
- a strong focus on outcomes, with progress tracked through participation, completions and workforce results.
A workforce action plan outlining related employment and workforce initiatives will also be developed.
The strategy has 3 key focus areas:
- The Right Skills for Queensland’s economy: make sure Queensland has the skills needed to attract investment and prosper.
- The Right Skills for Queenslanders: give Queenslanders the skills to get a job and secure their future.
- The Right Skills delivered by a strong training system: maintain a healthy, diverse and high-quality training system that delivers the skills for the workforce needs.
The strategy supports key industries such as healthcare, manufacturing, housing, and construction.
This is the right time for the strategy. It encourages collaboration and guides Queensland toward a highly skilled future.
The construction industry is a major focus because it drives housing, infrastructure, and the Brisbane 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games.
The strategy will:
- expand access to free apprenticeships in construction trades
- offer free and low-cost training in construction-related qualifications
- build new TAFE Centres of Excellence in Caloundra, Moreton Bay and Rockhampton with state-of-the-art training facilities
- recruit a new generation of trainers with industry experience.
The strategy will strengthen the VET sector by:
- recognising TAFE, private and not-for-profit training providers as key to meeting skills needs
- growing the supply of trainers and assessors
- investing in TAFE Queensland facilities
- expanding training delivery options across the state
- strengthening connections between training providers and employers so training leads to real jobs and career pathways
- providing access to high-quality training from the Cape to Coolangatta that leads to meaningful jobs.
The Right Skills Strategy will invest more than $5 billion over 4 years to strengthen Queensland’s training sector.
In 2025-26, over $1 billion will be invested to support access to free and low-cost training.
These investments build on the $2.54 billion National Skills Agreement, which provides Queensland with:
- $98.7 million to help apprentices and students complete their training
- $15 million to expand access to foundation skills training
- $1.9 million to support Queensland’s move to a new national VET data system.
The 2025-26 skills budget also includes:
- $40 million to expand apprenticeships in priority sectors like construction and health
- $10 million for Free Apprenticeships for Under 25s, to remove tuition fees and make trade training more accessible and affordable
- more than $200 million to build TAFE Centres of Excellence in Caloundra, Moreton Bay and Rockhampton.