Queensland Government
Career Start (formerly Certificate 3 Guarantee)
Queensland Government subsidy for a first post-school Certificate III; you pay a co-contribution fee to the provider.
GovernmentApply or sign up
Career Start provides Queensland job seekers with skills and support to start their career.
Who can get it
- Aged 15 or older and no longer in school.
- Live permanently in Queensland.
- Australian or NZ citizen, permanent resident, or temporary resident with an eligible visa.
- TAFE Queensland adds: not enrolled in another qualification and no Certificate III or higher completed in the last 10 years.
How to claim
- Enrol with an approved provider such as TAFE Queensland; compare co-contribution fees as providers set their own.
Conditions and catches
- Up to 2 funded training places; not two general-pathway qualifications.
- The Queensland pages fetched do not state that Career Start replaced the Certificate 3 Guarantee, though TAFE Queensland no longer lists the old name.
What the source says
Exact words quoted from the official page when we checked it. Last checked 15 Oct 2026.
Find out if you're eligible to receive a subsidy to complete your first post-school certificate III level qualification.
You pay the remaining training course costs (a co-contribution fee) to your training provider.
Career Start provides Queensland job seekers with skills and support to start their career.