Career Start General

Career Start — Queensland Government Subsidised Training Delivered by KKTC Education Pty Ltd | RTO 40636 | Approved Skills Assure Supplier Qualification: CHC30125 Certificate III in Early Childhood Education and Care Training pathway: General Approved delivery locations (Queensland): Brisbane, Cairns, Central Queensland, Darling Downs – Maranoa, Gold Coast, Ipswich, Logan – Beaudesert, Mackay – Isaac – Whitsunday, Moreton Bay – North, Moreton Bay – South, Queensland – Outback, Sunshine Coast, Toowoomba, Townsville, Wide Bay.

About Career Start General

Career Start provides Queenslanders with the skills and support to start their early childhood career. The program offers Queensland Government subsidised training to help job seekers secure entry-level employment in the early childhood sector and to support those already employed to move into more skilled roles.

The General Training Pathway lets you enrol directly into the CHC30125 Certificate III in Early Childhood Education and Care without entering into a Training Contract or apprenticeship/traineeship arrangement. KKTC delivers your training and assessment, and arranges your vocational placement with an approved early childhood education and care service.

Career Start is administered by the Department of Trade, Employment and Training (DTET).

Eligibility

Queensland Government Subsidised Training

Career Start is a Queensland Government subsidised training program. The Queensland Government contributes the majority of the training cost; you contribute a co-contribution fee (set out below).

Career Start eligibility — to access funding for this qualification, you must:

Be an Australian citizen, an Australian permanent resident (including a humanitarian entrant), a New Zealand citizen, or a temporary resident who holds a visa with work rights and is on a pathway to permanent residency
Be 15 years or older and no longer at school
Permanently reside in Queensland
Not have completed any nationally recognised vocational (VET) qualification, at any level, within the last 10 years — except a qualification you completed while at school, a foundation skills qualification, or a qualification funded under a Skilling Queenslanders for Work program
Not be currently enrolled in another qualification that is funded by the Queensland Government (Department of Trade, Employment and Training) — including one that is on hold or deferred

KKTC is required by DTET to verify your eligibility against these criteria and to keep evidence on your file before your enrolment is confirmed. We do this during your Pre-Enrolment Assessment (PEA), which also identifies any learning support you may need. For independent information, see the DTET Career Start page and the Queensland Skills Gateway (skillsgateway.training.qld.gov.au). The eligibility criteria are set by DTET and may change; the criteria on this page apply to students commencing on or after 1 July 2026.

Enrolment Process

Career Start provides Queenslanders with skills and support to start their career.

PROCESS:

Click Enquire Now above. KKTC will contact you to discuss the program.
KKTC conducts a Pre-Enrolment Assessment (PEA) to confirm your eligibility, suitability for the qualification, and any learning support needs.
Complete and submit the enrolment form along with required documentation (see below).
Pay the first instalment and your enrolment is confirmed.
Training commences according to your enrolment date and program schedule.

Co-contribution Fee

The fees below are the student co-contribution fee under Career Start. This represents the total cost to enrol, undertake training, and be awarded the qualification — there are no additional charges for training delivery, assessment, learning materials, or qualification issuance.

CHC30125 Certificate III in Early Childhood Education and Care

Fee category	Total fee
Non-concessional co-contribution fee	$680.00 (17 units × $40 per unit)
Concessional co-contribution fee	$595.00 (17 units × $35 per unit)

Concessional eligibility

Concessional co-contribution fees apply if you fall into one of the following categories at enrolment:

Hold a current Health Care Card, Pensioner Concession Card or Veteran concession card issued under Commonwealth law (Services Australia or the Department of Veterans’ Affairs), or be the partner or dependant of a card holder and named on the card. Queensland Government (state-issued) concession cards do not qualify.
Hold a Commonwealth-issued form confirming entitlement to those concessions
Identify as Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander
Have a disability
Are an adult prisoner

Evidence of concessional status must be supplied at enrolment.

Full fee exemption

A full fee exemption applies for Skilling Queenslanders for Work (SQW) participants and for any specific fee-free training programs announced by the Queensland Government.

How and when fees are charged

Your co-contribution fee is charged per unit of competency. KKTC does not ask you to pay anything before your training commences.

When you are invoiced: once you have commenced your training, KKTC issues you a tax invoice for your co-contribution fee, itemised unit by unit.
When payment is due: payment is due within seven (7) days of the invoice date. If you would prefer to pay in instalments, contact KKTC Student Services on 1300 048 133 before your invoice is issued.
Overdue invoices: if your invoice is not paid by the due date, KKTC may suspend your enrolment until it is paid. You will not be charged for any unit you have not commenced if you withdraw — see the Refund Policy below.

Co-contribution fees may be paid by you, your employer, a family member or another organisation on your behalf, but cannot be paid or waived by KKTC or any person or entity connected to KKTC. Tax invoices and receipts are issued for all fees paid.

Documentation Required at Enrolment

Proof of Date of Birth (front of driver's licence or equivalent)
Proof of Citizenship/Right to Work (birth certificate, Medicare card, passport, or visa documentation)
Proof of Address (back of driver's licence or equivalent)
Copy of current Blue Card (Working with Children Check)
Verified Unique Student Identifier (USI)
Transcripts of any prior qualifications or units for credit transfer
Evidence of concessional status (if applicable)

Refund Policy

Refund of fees paid	Circumstances
Full refund	You withdraw at any time before your training commences; KKTC withdraws the course; or KKTC is unable to provide the course you enrolled in
Refund of unused unit fees	You withdraw after training has commenced: the co-contribution fee for every unit of competency you have not yet commenced is refunded (or, if not yet paid, removed from your invoice)
No refund	Fees for units of competency you have already commenced

Refunds are calculated per unit of competency. Credit transfers granted after enrolment are also refunded on a per-unit basis. Refunds are processed within 30 days of KKTC receiving your written withdrawal notice and are paid to the original payer. To request a refund, contact KKTC on 1300 048 133 or info@kktc.com.au. The complete KKTC Refund Policy is set out in the Student Handbook (kktc.com.au/student-handbook).

Refund of unused co-contribution fees*

Where you have paid fees for units of competency that you have not yet commenced or been assessed in, you are entitled to a refund of those unused fees on withdrawal. Refunds are calculated on a per-unit basis: the co-contribution fee for each unit not yet commenced will be refunded to you. Fees for units that have been commenced are non-refundable. Credit transfers granted after enrolment are also refundable on a per-unit basis. Refunds are processed within 30 days of KKTC receiving your written withdrawal notice and are paid to the original payer. To request a refund, contact KKTC on 1300 048 133 or info@kktc.com.au.

Vocational Placement

This qualification includes a mandatory vocational placement component. Vocational placement is the responsibility of KKTC to arrange in accordance with the SAS Policy 2025–2028. KKTC arranges placement with an approved early childhood education and care service. KKTC requires students enrolled in this funding to complete one day of placement per week for the duration of the course. Placement requirements will be confirmed in your Training Plan.

All students working with children must hold a current Queensland Blue Card before commencing placement. KKTC operates a strict ‘No Card, No Start’ policy.

Delivery and Disclosures

Training provider: All training and assessment under Career Start is delivered by KKTC Education Pty Ltd (RTO 40636). No third party delivers training, assessment, marketing, or recruitment on KKTC's behalf for this program.
Nationally recognised qualification: On successful completion you will be awarded the CHC30125 Certificate III in Early Childhood Education and Care, a nationally recognised qualification under the Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF Level 3).
Course duration: 18 months. This is consistent with KKTC's Training and Assessment Strategy and AQF Volume of Learning requirements.
Vocational placement: Vocational placement is the responsibility of KKTC to arrange in accordance with the SAS Policy 2025–2028. KKTC arranges placement with an approved early childhood education and care service.
Impact on future funding: Enrolling in Career Start General uses your one Queensland Government subsidised general-pathway qualification. Across the School-Based Apprenticeships and Traineeships, Free Apprenticeships for Under 25s, Career Start and Career Boost programs combined, you can be funded for a maximum of two apprenticeships or traineeships, or one apprenticeship/traineeship and one general-pathway qualification. Completing this qualification will also make you ineligible for Career Start General for the following 10 years. Contact DTET for advice before enrolling if you are unsure.
Independent advice: Department of Trade, Employment and Training: www.dtet.qld.gov.au. Queensland Training Ombudsman: www.trainingombudsman.qld.gov.au. Australian Skills Quality Authority (ASQA): www.asqa.gov.au.