Become a Skills Assure supplier

The Skills Assure framework

The Skills Assure framework commenced on 1 July 2020 to support delivery of the Queensland Government's core vocational education and training (VET) funding programs:

• Certificate 3 Guarantee – provides a government subsidy to allow eligible Queenslanders to obtain their first post-school certificate III qualification.
• Higher Level Skills – provides a government subsidy in selected certificate IV and above qualifications and priority skill sets, to help students gain the higher level skills required to secure employment or career advancement in a priority industry.
• User Choice – provides public funding for the delivery of accredited, entry level training to apprentices and trainees.

To enable the Queensland Government to deliver nationally recognised training and support students under these programs, the Department of Employment, Small Business and Training contracts registered training organisations to provide these services, known as Skills Assure suppliers (or SAS).

Currently, there are approximately 400 Skills Assure suppliers contracted to the Queensland Government to deliver training across the state to approximately 200,000 students each year in priority industry sectors including construction, health, agriculture, business, aged care and disability support.

Delivering to regional Queensland

Queensland's major public providers, TAFE Queensland and CQUniversity Australia, are ideally placed to deliver training to students in regional Queensland with campuses located across the state.

The Queensland Government is supportive of a strong public provider and is investing in capital infrastructure at TAFE campuses to support skills development including in emerging industries.

The Queensland Government is confident our contracted Skills Assure suppliers are providing quality training to skill the workforce of the future and are capable of meeting current student demand.

Becoming a Skills Assure supplier

As with any government funding program, the need for additional suppliers is determined at the discretion of the department based on consideration of a number of factors, including the changing state and national VET landscape and the current level of suppliers available in Queensland to meet demand for training.

The Queensland Government's Good people, Good jobs: Queensland Workforce Strategy 2022–2032 (Good people, Good jobs) was released on 30 August 2022. Recognising that a skilled and adaptable workforce for the future must build on the strength of its existing school and post-school education and training, Good people Good jobs commits to the development of a Queensland VET strategy to ensure that Queensland's $1.2 billion annual investment in skills and training is tailored to meet current and future workforce needs.

With a broad range of SAS available in Queensland to support skill needs across industries and taking into consideration the development of a VET strategy, the department has determined not to open a general application process in 2022–23. The department will continue to assess and manage requirements for additional suppliers and may invite registered training organisations to apply for SAS status if a need is identified.

Registered training organisations can register their interest to receive future SAS updates.

Any other enquiries can be sent to programdesign@desbt.qld.gov.au.

Find out more about operating as a Skills Assure supplier.

Last updated 10 February 2023