Today the Palaszczuk Government starts rolling out an extensive advertising campaign to encourage employers and young job seekers to take advantage of the free apprenticeships initiative for anyone under 21.

The pitch comes after 38,000 Year 12 students finished school this week and begin considering future options for study or employment.

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said the ‘Take your future on’ state-wide campaign is all about offering young Queenslanders hope and opportunity.

“Whenever I meet and talk with school leavers, they often tell me about the fears they have concerning their job prospects and futures,” the Premier said.

“Apprentices and trainees have always been an integral part of our state’s economy and over the next four years my government is committed to assisting another 60,000 young people into a trade.

“That’s a lot of young people who are going to bring enthusiasm, productivity and great new ideas to businesses right across the state – from Cape York to Coolangatta.

“The state-wide campaign is a call to action for employers and young people so that they can hire an apprentice or start training in an apprenticeship knowing the training will be delivered for free.

“Right now, school leavers and their parents are thinking about the future.

“The message of Take your future on goes straight to this vital decision-making time.

“And the Government is ready to give young people a real good go with the quality training they need to secure employment.”

Minister for Employment and Small Business and Minister for Training and Skills Development Shannon Fentiman met with apprentice chefs from The Star Entertainment Group at Black Hide by Gambaro at Treasury Brisbane to kick off the campaign today.

“It’s great to see some of our future master chefs in action today, they are on their way to a bright future,” Ms Fentiman said.

“We want all Queenslanders to have the opportunity to access quality training that will lead to an exciting and successful career.”

“Already our free tafe and free apprenticeships initiatives are supporting over 14,700 young Queenslanders to get the skills and training they need to get a job and build a career,”

“And our recently announced Skills Boost is slashing the cost of TAFE for Queenslanders of any age to access further training for the industries where there will be jobs.

“This is all part of our commitment to ensuring we continue to remove barriers for Queenslanders to undertake valuable training and create more jobs.”

The Premier said the extensive state-wide advertising campaign would feature on television, across social media, outdoor billboards as well as display stands in shopping malls through to March 2020.

“There’s already been a great response to the free scheme. Since July, 2,000 young people have secured apprenticeships and traineeships which are offered in 139 industries all with a high demand for workers,” the Premier said.

$32 million has been allocated for the free apprenticeships program which removes the cost of training from employers.

“This investment in free apprenticeships along with payroll tax concessions already in place will support local businesses to take on more apprentices and trainees. – we are backing their businesses to grow,” the Premier said.