Career Pathways
Council offers a variety of entry-level opportunities for those starting their career, those looking to retrain in something new, as well as those needing practical work experience to support their studies. Opportunities include apprenticeships and traineeships, work experience, volunteers, WIL Placements, Work Skills intake (finding dependant) and our graduate program.
Recruitment campaigns for apprenticeships and traineeships are commenced each year (generally in the latter part of each year) as required. Each year the number and opportunities vary to match operational needs offered across Council’s diverse vocations. Cadetships and Vacation placements are offered in line with tertiary intakes.
Visit Current Vacancies to see the current opportunities available.
Our Career Pathways
Apprenticeships & Traineeships
Our apprenticeships and traineeships are a great opportunity to get a head start in your chosen career. They combine practical work with structured training to give you a nationally recognised qualification and the experience you need to be successful.
Minimum education standards are required. Recruitment generally commences in the mid-latter part of each year, with positions commencing early the following year.
If you are looking to start your working career with a nationally recognised qualification, enjoy working in a team environment and want to earn while you learn, then you need to talk to council.
Apprenticeship areas may include:
- Electrical & Instrumentation
- Boilermaker
- Fitter & Turner
- Parks & Gardens
- Heavy Commercial Vehicle Mechanic
- Diesel Fitting.
Traineeship areas may include:
- Business
- IT Support
- Library and Information Services
- Construction
- Animal Care Services
- Veterinary Services.
Work Experience
Townsville City Council’s work experience program is designed to provide participants with an insight into how local government operates and to provide them with knowledge and practical experience in the field or industry of interest.
All work experience opportunities that we host are of an unpaid, voluntary nature. Participants must be registered with a recognised school or tertiary institution agency that covers them for personal insurance and public liability.
Council will endeavour to provide work experience whenever possible, however this is not always possible due to the availability of resources and workplace health and safety requirements.
Eligibility
To be eligible to undertake work experience at Council, you must either be:
- a secondary school student over the age of 14
- a university student with a mandatory ‘Work Integrated Learning’ requirement
- a student undertaking a qualification with a registered training organisation.
Please note, those seeking placement in any outdoor/trade areas are required to hold a Construction Induction White Card and must source own personal PPE.
How to apply
Requests must be submitted at least 4 weeks prior to the commencement of placement.
If you have any questions, please email the Learning and Development, Programs Development team at qualifications@townsville.qld.gov.au or phone 4727 9108.
Volunteers
You may be interested in volunteering at Council in the many areas we seek volunteer interest in, such as: Galleries, Animal Care & Adoption and Libraries. Council is committed to supporting individual members of the public and community groups who choose to volunteer their time to enhance the provision of services to the community. To find out what volunteer opportunities are available, or to submit your interest in becoming a Volunteer at Council, contact our People & Culture team on 4727 9004 or email hrenquiries@townsville.qld.gov.au.
Graduate Program
As a Graduate you will contribute to diverse and challenging work across your area of expertise, using your University learnt knowledge in real, on the job activities. You will deliver both project and business as usual services to work towards improving community and business outcomes. Training and development opportunities will be provided whilst you are coached and mentored by industry professionals. You will be exposed to a leading safety culture which reshapes how we deliver services to maximise value whilst role modelling the performance standards, values and behaviours that are integral to Council.
Disciplines/Qualifications may include:
- Bachelor of Business
- Bachelor of Environmental Health
- Bachelor of Information Technology
- Bachelor of Law
- Bachelor of Engineering (Civil, Mechanical)
- Bachelor of Spatial Science
- Bachelor of Environmental Science
- Bachelor of Natural Resource Management
- Bachelor of Occupational Health & Safety
- Bachelor of Business Administration
- Bachelor Accounting or Commerce.
Work Skills Traineeships
Work Skills Traineeships provide paid employment opportunities to disadvantaged Queenslanders while at the same time funding projects that leave a visible and long-lasting impact on social infrastructure and services in a local community.
Work Skills Traineeships are one of eight programs that make up the Queensland Government’s Skilling Queenslanders for Work Initiative. Work Skills Traineeships offer disadvantaged Queenslanders employment for up to six months, working on: public works, construction projects, business services community, hospitality, retail and environmental projects.
To be eligible for a Workskills opportunity, you must be a minimum of 15 years old, long term unemployed or a disadvantaged job seeker and you must identify with one or more of the following groups:
- Young People (aged 15-24 years)
- Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people
- Mature age job seekers (45 years or older)
- Migrants and refugees from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds
- People with disability
- Displaced workers
- Women re-entering the workforce
- Veterans and ex-service personnel
- Long term unemployed job seekers.
