The Workforce Connect Fund is an initiative designed to increase investment in industry and community-led projects that address attraction, retention and participation issues within the workforce.

It aims to drive systemic, industry-wide change in relation to these issues to enhance workforce outcomes for employers, employees and jobseekers.

The Fund is a key action of the Good people. Good jobs: Queensland Workforce Strategy 2022-32, developed to drive Queensland towards a strong and diverse workforce ready to seize today's jobs and adapt to future opportunities.

Funding

The Workforce Connect Fund will fund large, scalable projects delivered by industry peak bodies and community peak organisations to connect, develop and implement new and innovative strategies, services and/or mechanisms that support the attraction and retention of employees now and into the future.

It will also provide funding to small businesses that identify an immediate need for new and innovative HR solutions to support their business.

For large-scale projects delivered by industry peak bodies and community peak organisations, funding is available for a maximum 12-month term. The level of funding depends on the nature of the project and is capped at up to $1 million.

For eligible small businesses, up to $5,000 is available to provide immediate human resources (HR) support and advice (subject to funding availability).

Eligible activities for large-scale projects

The projects must:

  • have a strong focus on connections and community engagement
  • explore and trial new solutions with partner organisations to address industry specific issues with the aim of creating long-term, sustainable workforce outcomes
  • be able to be rolled out sector-wide and effect systemic change within the specified industry.

Projects can propose to address a specific challenge within an industry (i.e. participation rates or retention of specific cohorts or labour mobility), or propose a broader concept to address identified attraction, retention, and participation issues more holistically.

Project examples could include:

  • implementation of sector-wide human resources support
  • design and development of new information technology platforms or systems
  • development of new programs and approaches that support specific cohorts and promote social cohesion within the industry.
  • development of innovative pre-employment programs
  • development of innovative, new mentoring or coaching strategies that trial new approaches to the professional development and retention of employees.
  • other innovative concepts designed primarily to address current and future workforce attraction, retention, and participation issues.

Who can apply

For large-scale projects, industry peak bodies and community peak bodies that are registered for GST are eligible for funding under this initiative.

To ensure successful delivery of projects, applicant organisations must partner with other organisations, such as:

  • peak bodies
  • community-based organisations
  • HR/recruitment specialists
  • other relevant stakeholders.

For HR support and advice, small businesses that identify an immediate need for new and innovative HR solutions to support their business are eligible to apply for funding.

How to apply

Applications will be accepted online via a funding round process. More information on the upcoming funding round coming soon.

Read the Workforce Connect Fund funding guidelines.

A network of industry-based workforce advisors is being established under the Queensland Workforce Strategy to work directly with employers to help them address workforce challenges and diversify their workforces.

These advisors will work with small businesses to discuss eligibility requirements and assist them in completing an application form. Applications must be submitted in consultation with industry workforce advisors.

Contact details of advisors will be published to this website once the network has been established.

Benefits of the Workforce Connect Fund

Employers within specific industries will benefit from large-scale projects completed under the Workforce Connect Fund by having greater access to resources such as:

  • human resources support and advice
  • new information technology platforms or systems
  • new mentoring or coaching services.

Jobseekers looking to enter a specific industry will benefit from large-scale projects delivered under the Workforce Connect Fund by having greater access to resources such as:

  • specific pre-employment programs
  • new industry work experience programs
  • standardised entry level requirement materials for specific industries.

It is anticipated that projects will commence delivery in early 2023.

Connecting businesses

A network of industry workforce advisors will be established to support employers to:

  • address gaps in workforces and connect to potential sources of labour supply
  • connect employers with other DESBT programs, including the Workforce Connect Fund.

Once projects are approved, they will be published to this website and employers will also be able to make direct contact with funded project contacts

Connecting jobseekers

Approved projects will be published to this website and jobseekers will be able to make direct contact with funded project contacts.

Funded organisations will partner with a number of organisations that will also assist jobseekers connect to funded projects. Partner organisations will also be published to this website.

Contact us

Email wcf@desbt.qld.gov.au or phone 1300 369 935 for enquiries about the Workforce Connect Fund

Last updated 30 August 2022

Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Australia (CC BY 3.0)