Micro-Credentials Program Providing Opportunities for Moreton Bay Region Workers

Funded by the Queensland Government, the Micro-Credentials initiative is providing a major boost to workers in tourism and hospitality.

This program represents a unique opportunity for businesses and workers in the Moreton Bay Region (and throughout Queensland), to develop and boost jobs skills and to support the tourism and hospitality industries.

These “‘bite-sized’ and flexible” courses allow workers to gain new knowledge and upskill in a range of areas, with compliance, service, management, hotel, business, culinary and beverage being among the seven categories of courses offered by the program.

Upon the successful completion of all relevant lessons and a quiz, learners will be awarded a digital ‘certification or credential’.

Employees of eligible businesses can access these online courses free of charge.

The micro-credentials initiative has been described as a “game changer” for the industry as “it enables tourism and hospitality businesses and their staff to get up to date quickly with the skills that our industry needs.”
The micro-credentials program is delivered by the Queensland Tourism and Industry Council (QTIC) with the online platform Typsy. Since launching in 2020, almost 2,000 workers across the tourism, events and hospitality industries have completed a micro-credential, with over 1,800 courses and 19,000 lessons delivered.

QTIC’s partnership with Typsy has helped them reach people in remote areas who otherwise struggle to gain access to high quality training. It has given businesses an opportunity to attract new people and train them quickly to help with the skills gap and recruitment crisis and skills shortages.

Regional Development Australia Moreton Bay Chair, Kelvin Patch, noted that “the Hospitality Industry is predominately a transient employment sector and the majority of front line employees are unskilled when they commence employment in this industry.”

Mr Patch praised the initiative and its potential to support businesses and workers in our region, describing the micro credentials program as a “fantastic initiative that provides current employees or individuals interested in joining the hospitality industry the ability to access free on line courses to assist in upskilling in key service areas of food, beverage, compliance and management.”

“Hospitality and Tourism providers in South East Qld are witnessing significant challenges to source employees and this will be further stretched when the Queens Wharf Integrated Precinct commences operation and the arrival of the Olympics in 2032.”

“It is encouraging that the Qld State Government funding takes a proactive approach with the micro credentials program and entices employees to stay in the industry.”

Due to the success of the program, which was initially funded for a period of 3 years, the Queensland Government recently announced that funding for the program would be extended for a further 2 years, with the State Government “investing $5.9 million to provide increased access to industry-supported short courses.”

Businesses can register their interest in the program through the QTIC website.

You can find out more about the micro-credentials program HERE

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