Skilled Workforce

Long-term unemployment is still a concern for Queensland. Even prior to COVID-19, Queensland had a high unemployment rate relative to other states and territories. The latest data puts the unemployment rate at 6.1% but shows the youth unemployment rate at a concerning 9.8%. 

Despite the high unemployment rate, there is an opportunity to train workers, particularly the youth, in new and emerging skills. This includes data analytics, emerging business practices, health, online engagement, regulation and sustainable engineering and trades which will present the best future opportunities for job seekers.

Our state budget policy priorities within this space aim to support intensive upskilling in future industries, give new energy to key regional areas, and improve funding arrangements to support education and training programs.

 

Intensive upskilling in emerging sectors

  • Prioritise and fund the pipeline of projects under the 10-year roadmap for resource recovery, waste and circular economy projects in key regional locations
  • Develop a model (like the traditional traineeship and apprenticeship framework) for non-trade-based skill areas that incentivises businesses to employ and invest in new and emerging skills
  • Incentivise retraining in disrupted industries to support skill needs in emerging sectors
  • Strengthen investment in STEM skills

 

Reinvigorate the regions

  • Simplify migration schemes and target incentives for skilled and seasonal workers to relocate to areas with skill shortages
  • Commit to workforce planning program across all regions to target skill and training needs 
  • Deliver market diversification support for export ready SMEs

 

Improved funding arrangements

  • Support education and training programs focused on sustainability, technology and data analysis
  • Extend apprenticeship and traineeship subsidies and focus on future skill needs

 

Acknowledgement of Country

Business Chamber Queensland respectfully acknowledges the Traditional Owners and custodians of the lands from across Queensland and the Torres Strait. We acknowledge the Jagera and Turrbal people as the Traditional Custodians of Meanjin (Brisbane), the lands where our office is located and the place we meet, work and learn. We pay our respects to Elders past and present.