Industry Workforce Advisor Program

Grow your business with a customised workforce plan

Workforce planning is a critical aspect of any business strategy. A good workforce plan will enable your business to optimise operations and ensure sustained productivity.

Grow your business with a free, customised workforce plan. Connect with an Industry Workforce Advisor.

Why?

With the rapid pace of technological advancements and evolving consumer demands, the manufacturing sector is undergoing significant transformations. As a result, the skills required for the workforce are also evolving, making it essential for businesses to plan for their current and future workforce needs.

By implementing a workforce plan, businesses can effectively reduce employee turnover, identify strategies to attract and retain staff in key roles to enable productive operations. A good workforce plan will also provide a structured approach to enhancing skills of existing employees, ensuring they acquire the necessary skills to keep pace with industry changes, and drive the business forward.

Working with an Industry Workforce Advisor

The Industry Workforce Advisor program offers valuable support to small and medium-sized businesses with up to 200 employees. This program provides access to free workforce planning assistance, enabling businesses to navigate the complexities of developing a robust workforce plan.

Through this initiative, our Industry Workforce Advisors will collaborate with businesses in the manufacturing sector to create a tailored workforce plan that aligns with their specific needs and objectives.

An Industry Workforce Advisor works directly with small and medium businesses to:

Identify workforce challenges and opportunities unique to the manufacturing sector, and develop a workforce plan
Suggest options to address any challenges identified in the plan, including how a business might access a grants and incentives
Refer small businesses to the Queensland Government’s Workforce Connect Fund for new and innovative human resource (HR) solutions
Assist small and medium businesses to develop attraction and recruitment strategies to access diverse groups, and other potential labour supply (e.g., skilled migration)
Connect small and medium businesses with an Industry Skills Advisor to discuss training and skills development options

Grow your business with a customised workforce plan.

A woman talking to a man at a desk in front of a laptop

What you can expect?

An initial appointment with an Industry Workforce Advisor in-person, over the phone or virtual
Facilitated discussion to develop your workforce plan
Workforce plan review, and advice
Connection to grants, incentives and other programs that fit into your plan
Additional appointments on request to provide workforce advice and guidance

Are you eligible?

You may be eligible for the Industry Workforce Advisor program if you are a small business or medium business (with up to 200 employees) registered in Queensland who:

Is a manufacturer
Wants assistance to develop a workforce plan
Wants to include diversity within their workplace
Wants to engage with government agencies to support workforce solutions
Completes and expression of interest form

Skills and Workforce Development Subsidy

From now until 30 November 2026, if you’re a small manufacturer and you complete a workforce plan through Manufacturing Skills Queensland’s Industry Workforce Advisor you could be eligible for a $2,000 Skills and Workforce Development Subsidy.

The subsidy is designed to support you in implementing key actions from your approved workforce plan.

Eligibility

To qualify for the subsidy, businesses must:

Complete a Workforce Plan with MSQ’s Industry Workforce Advisor anytime from 1 January 2026
Be registered and operating in Queensland
Meet the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) definition of a small business (fewer than 20 employees)
Not have previously accessed government grants for workforce planning or HR support
Commit to working with the Industry Workforce Advisor to explore staff training opportunities
Participate in the Industry Survey supporting the IWA Initiative
Agree to participate in good news stories and case study opportunities when requested

Full terms and conditions apply

Eligible services

The subsidy may be used for HR services that support the approved Workforce Plan, including but not limited to:

Structured recruitment processes
Comprehensive employee onboarding programs
Retention-focused HR policies and practices
Development of handbook policies and employment contracts
Position description development
Performance review and management frameworks
Business owner coaching on HR and workforce management
Training plan development
Employee retention and engagement strategies
Workforce planning and capability development

Expert providers

To ensure that manufacturers receive the highest quality support, the Skills and Workforce Development Subsidy connects businesses with a panel of expert HR providers. These professionals bring a wealth of experience and specialised knowledge to help manufacturers effectively implement their workforce strategies. The approved HR providers include:

Register your interest

Interested in connecting with our Industry Workforce Advisor, or to find out more about the Skills and Workforce Development Subsidy, complete the form below and we’ll be in touch.

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About the program

The Industry Workforce Advisor program is an initiative of the Queensland Government, designed to support small and medium sized businesses enabling them to address workforce challenges, diversify their workforces, and support workforce growth.

The Industry Workforce Advisor program is proudly supported and funded by the Queensland Government.