Securing a skilled workforce for Queensland: 2023-24 Jobs Queensland annual report highlights

  • The Jobs Queensland Annual Report 2023-24 shows how they helped government, industry, education providers and communities across Queensland.
  • Their five-year Queensland-specific employment projections have guided policy settings, career decisions and workforce planning activity across the state.
  • They’ve helped businesses, industries and regions find the workforce they need – now and into the future.
  • Jobs Queensland also provided specific support for Queensland’s largest and fastest growing workforce – health and community support workers.

In 2023-24, Jobs Queensland (JQ) welcomed a new 11-member board including distinguished Board Chair Jim Varghese AM.

The diverse board leveraged their expertise and connections to drive Jobs Queensland’s work throughout 2024.

Jobs Queensland’s flagship ‘Anticipating future skills’ employment projections guided future workforce planning, career and policy decisions.

AFS series four revealed 2.9 million workers will be employed in Queensland by June 2026 – an increase of 207,000 workers or 7.6 per cent since 2021-2022.

These insights were supported by free workforce planning resources to support businesses and regions to secure the workforces they need.

Jobs Queensland published eleven research reports including workforce environmental scans, development plans and other resources.

Their workforce planning for business micro-credential with University of the Sunshine Coast helped over 200 small to medium enterprises take practical steps to find the workers they need – now and into the future.

Round one of the three-year, $4.5 million ‘Grow your own regional workforce’ program powered by the Queensland Workforce Strategy generated positive outcomes.

This included future-proofing the Cairns aviation, maritime and marine industries, the Wide Bay food and beverage manufacturing industry and the Wide Bay timber and forestry industry.

Further funding was committed under round two for five new 2024-25 projects to ensure regions and industries can meet skills and workforce demands.

Health and community support sector workers facing the most pressing workforce challenges in Queensland received targeted support from JQ in 2023-24.

Seven projects received funding overseen by the Queensland Care Consortium (QCC) to attract, develop and retain their valued workers.

QCC is a multi-year, $2.275 million program powered by the Good people. Good jobs: Queensland Workforce Strategy 2022–2032.

Read the Jobs Queensland Annual Report to discover more highlights from the year.