Pre-trade work experience

Brisbane City Council has a Pre-trade Work Experience program that provides an opportunity to gain hands-on, unpaid experience in a trade environment for:

  • secondary school students (up to 10 days each calendar year, or longer, if placement is a mandatory and assessable component of study)
  • students completing a pre-vocational training course with a registered training organisation (RTO) (up to 20 days each calendar year).

Council offers unpaid work experience in various trades, including:

  • auto electrical
  • auto manufacturing
  • carpentry
  • electrical work
  • engineering (fabrication)
  • heavy vehicle mechanics
  • painting and decorating
  • parks and gardens
  • plumbing
  • signage and graphics
  • sports turf management

Eligibility information

To apply for pre-trade work experience, you must:

  • be enrolled at a secondary school or in a pre-vocational training course at an Australian RTO
  • have personal accident and public liability insurance provided by your school or RTO. Speak with  your vocational and training coordinator or careers advisor to confirm insurance coverage.

Council is committed to building a diverse and inclusive workforce. Applicants from the following groups are encourage to apply for pre-trade work experience placement:

  • young people
  • Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander peoples
  • people from a culturally and linguistically diverse background
  • people with a disability or impairment
  • LGBTIQ+ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender/gender diverse, intersex, queer).

How to apply

Contact the career advisor at your school or RTO for help with your application and to confirm that personal insurance coverage can be provided during your work experience.

Email your application to Council's Employment Pathways team detailing:

  • trade area of interest
  • preferred placement dates
  • why you are interested in a pre-trade work experience placement with Council
  • related school or pre-vocational training subjects
  • any relevant work experience, or school/community projects you've been involved in that could help support your placement.

More information

For more information about pre-trade work experience with Council:

Last updated:

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