Construction Skills Queensland Higher Qualifications Funding
Construction Skills Queensland is an independent, not-for-profit, industry-funded body supporting employers, workers, apprentices, trainees and career seekers in the building and construction industry.
The Higher Qualifications Program provides subsidised nationally recognised qualifications to support workforce capability, career progression, professional development, and long-term industry sustainability within Queensland’s building and construction industry.
Key objectives of the program are: -
- Build highly skilled and qualified workers.
- Support career progression and professional development.
- Enable workers to meet changing industry and regulatory requirements.
- Strengthen workforce retention and long-term industry capability.
CSQ invests funding in qualifications that align with identified workforce priorities and skills shortages within Queensland’s building and construction industry. Qualifications are selected to support current and future industry needs, improve workforce capability and deliver outcomes that contribute to industry productivity, compliance and growth.
Targeting funding qualifications, ensures training investments provide the greatest benefit to workers, employers, and the broader industry sector. These change periodically to reflect an evolving industry and priorities.
CSQ eligibility
Must be enrolled, commenced and completed at least one unit of competency in the program on or before last enrolment date of 30 September 2027.
The 2026/27 program participants must be completed on or before 31 July 2028.
Eligible participants may complete more than one (1) Higher Qualification within a program year; however, they must complete one after the other. You cannot be enrolled at the same time.
Eligible participants are not permitted to:
- Be enrolled into multiple qualifications at the same time, including enrolment across the: Higher Qualifications (Building and Civil and Major Projects) and Skills Assessment and Gap Training (Building and Civil) and the Skill Set program.
- Concurrent enrolments are not permitted – participants must fully complete one qualification before commencing another.
Participants who have previously been enrolled into the same or equivalent qualification in a previous program term are not eligible.
The qualification must be trained and assessed. No more than 50% of the qualification can be resulted through Recognition of Prior Learning and/or Credit Transfer outcome.
Primary and substantial direct involvement in the Queensland construction industry, must be active and ongoing participation in hands-on construction work. This means job tasks directly contribute to building or civil construction activities – not just a support, admin, or coordination roles. You must be personally performing construction-related work as a core part of your role, regularly and meaningfully, not occasionally or indirectly.
You need to be employed or self-employed in the Queensland Building and Construction industry, who is responsible for performing the scope of work relevant to the industry.
Participant eligibility
For the purposes of eligibility under this Agreement, all participants under this Program must meet the following criteria. An Eligible Participant for this Program:
MUST BE:
(a) an Australian or New Zealand Citizen or Permanent Resident; or
(b) a participant who has the right to work in Australia on a valid VISA prescribed by Construction Skills Queensland and has been employed in the Building and Construction Industry for a period of 6 months or more; and is
(c) an Eligible Worker in Queensland (refer to exceptions); or
(d) is an unemployed Eligible Worker who has been unemployed for a period not greater than six (6) months in Queensland.
MUST NOT BE:
(e) an Apprentice or Trainee
(f) undertaking the Training as part of an apprenticeship or traineeship
(g) an Employee of an Authority (refer to exception);
(h) currently enrolled and participating in a Queensland secondary school program
(i) a contracted trainer or assessor or existing worker of an RTO
(j) funded by an Authority or such other source for delivery of the same Training being undertaken as part of this Program
(k) enrolled in more than one (1) Skill Set or Qualification (Building, Civil or Major Contractors) at a time in the same Program Delivery Period (which is 1x Building or 1x Civil). Including enrolments across the:
- Higher qualifications
- Skills assessment and gap training and
- Skill set programs
(I) previously enrolled into the same or equivalent qualification in an earlier program term.
(m) a participant seeking a verification of competency.
EXCEPTIONS:
(n) the participant has already commenced and claimed funding for the same or equivalent qualification in the program term under Building, Civil or Major Contracts. E.g. participants are not eligible for funding if they enrol and commenced training with one RTO and then withdrew and enrolled with a different RTO.
| Right to Work | Evidence |
|---|---|
Australian or New Zealand Citizen or Permanent Resident | Green Medicare Card (Current) or My.gov Medicare snapshot OR Australian or New Zealand Passport (Up to six (6) months after the expiry date) OR Australian or New Zealand Full Birth Certificate or Extract* |
A Visa holder as per the CSQ listing*** and who has been employed in the Queensland Building and Construction Industry for six (6) months or more. | Employer letter Must be on letterhead, dated and signed by the employer, and Must include: -
|
*A commemorative birth certificate cannot be accepted.
** An International Student Visa is not eligible.
See full list of valid visas here
| Eligible Worker | Evidence |
|---|---|
Employed and substantially engaged in the Queensland Building and Construction Industry OR Unemployed for less than six (6) months, in a role which would meet the employed and substantially engaged requirements of an Eligible Worker. | Employer letter MUST be on letter head, dated and signed by the employer OR A Statutory Declaration dated, signed and witnessed Either option MUST include:-
NOTE: Duties MUST be listed, no generic statements to be used. E.g “working on a construction site”. Duties listed should be enough to determine if the participant is substantially engaged in the Queensland building and construction industry. |
OR Self Employed and substantially engaged in the Queensland Building and Construction Industry. | Downloaded or issued copy of ABN/ACN registration showing ownership – MUST be the official copy of the registration (screenshots are not acceptable). plus, two (2) invoices for recent work in the construction industry; Outlining the duties performed, no generic statements can be used. List the scope of work completed, this must demonstrate primary and substantial direct involvement doing tasks that directly contribute to building or civil construction activities and current work site/project. OR A Statutory Declaration providing details of the business and recent work in in the industry dated, signed and witnessed MUST include:
NOTE:- Duties MUST be listed, no generic statements to be used. E.g “working on a construction site” |
*An Eligible Worker is defined in the supporting resources for training suppliers.
**An Eligible Worker is someone who is currently employed or self-employed worker, who can demonstrate primary and sustainable direct involvement in:-
The Queensland building and construction industry doing: -
- Construction, significant renovations and extensions of residential and commercial buildings
- Installation services for interiors of residential and commercial buildings in associated trades; electrical, plumbing, flooring ect
- Works on a major infrastructure project
The Queensland civil construction industry doing;
- Land development and site preparation for the purpose of construction
- Works for civil infrastructure
- Works on a major infrastructure project.
All funding is subject to availability at the time of courses scheduled and may change at the time of enquiry and enrolment.
RTO 30097