The Department of Employment, Small Business and Training was established in December 2017 with responsibilities drawn from other agencies.
The department recognises the important relationship between employment outcomes, strong small businesses and a skilled workforce to the wellbeing of Queenslanders and their communities.
Our Director-General
Warwick Agnew
Director-General, Department of Employment, Small Business and Training
Warwick Agnew was appointed as Director-General of the department in November 2020 following an extensive career and experience in both the private and public sector.
Prior to joining the department, Warwick held the position of Director-General, Local Government, Racing and Multicultural Affairs and has direct experience in social and economic policy issues facing all areas of Queensland.
Throughout his career Warwick has led social and economic infrastructure projects, economic analysis and policy, legislative reform, financial and commercial procurement and corporate finance advisory services.
Warwick’s private sector experience includes commercial project development and senior advisory roles for global companies servicing resources, energy, industrial, infrastructure, property and defence sectors. He has also served on key government boards including Queensland Treasury Corporation Capital Markets Board, the Long-Term Asset Allocation Board and the Queensland Rural and Industry Development Authority.
Service area structure
The department's service area structure based on the 2021–22 Service Delivery Statements (SDS) (PDF, 1.4MB) as at 15 June 2021 is as follows:
| SDS service area | Service area objective |
|---|---|
| Employment | To increase employment opportunities for Queenslanders, in particular disadvantaged cohorts and unemployed jobseekers |
| Small Business | To ensure small businesses can seamlessly interact with government and are supported to start, grow and employ |
| Training and Skills | To regulate Queensland apprenticeships and traineeships, and facilitate access and participation in vocational education and training pathways, enabling Queenslanders to gain employment in current and future industries |
The department is responsible for supporting the Minister for Employment and Small Business and Minister for Training and Skills Development. In supporting the Minister, the department is maintaining high-quality services and focusing on implementing the government's objectives for the community and its government commitments.
During 2020–21, the department worked collaboratively with government and stakeholders in delivering the following government commitments:
- consulted with the Chamber of Commerce and Industry Queensland about the practicality of further reducing the government invoice payment terms from 20 days for small business
- invested up to $15 million at the Cairns TAFE campus, refurbishing facilities to better utilise the campus
- invested up to $15 million at the Mount Gravatt TAFE campus, refurbishing existing facilities and giving students the ability to study locally
- invested up to $15 million at the Gold Coast TAFE campuses establishing a TAFE legacy post-Commonwealth Games for trades training at Ashmore and revitalised nursing and allied health facilities at Southport.
Last updated 28 September 2021
