Queensland
Stay at school, get paid, and train for free. Start in Year 10, 11 or 12 and finish with a nationally recognised qualification.



Nationally recognised · Skills Assure Supplier · RTO 41462
A School Based Traineeship, or SAT, lets you start working and training in a real job while you are still at high school. You stay enrolled at school, work paid hours for an employer, and complete a nationally recognised qualification with us at the same time.
You can start in Year 10, 11 or 12 with your school’s approval. Under Queensland Government Career Start funding, school based trainees pay no student contribution fees at all.
It works by combining three elements — school, work and formal training — into one coordinated pathway. We work closely with the employer, the student and the school to develop a structured training plan setting out what skills will be learned in the workplace and what is completed through training.
Trainees are paid while gaining valuable skills and qualifications, combining work experience with formal training.
Through the Queensland Government Career Start Program, school based trainees pay no fees toward the course cost.
Trainees develop real-world skills by working in a professional environment, increasing their employability.
A completed VET qualification can contribute credits toward your Queensland Certificate of Education, alongside your school subjects.
Trainees earn a formal qualification recognised across Australia, giving them a competitive edge in the job market.
Completing a traineeship can open doors to higher-level qualifications, promotions and long-term career growth.
A school based traineeship is not something you do instead of finishing school — it counts toward your Queensland Certificate of Education.
Speak to your VET or careers coordinator. You need your school’s approval, and they will help you fit the work days around your timetable.
A grooming salon, vet clinic, boarding kennel, pet retailer or animal shelter willing to take you on. Your school may already have contacts, and we can help too.
An Apprentice Connect Australia Provider registers the contract with the state, signed by you, your parent or guardian, your employer and your school.
Two qualifications are available as Queensland school based traineeships, both free for eligible school students.
Tell us where you are up to and we will come back to you with an honest answer, including whether you are likely to qualify for Queensland funding.