Trainee Academy

Traineeships offer an entry pathway into a variety of professions. They are a great way to start out, or to change careers, because they offer a recognised qualification that is combined with real on-the-job learning in a fulltime job role.

City of Gold Coast is a high-performing, customer-focused organisation and one of the largest employers on the Gold Coast with over 5000 employees.

Traineeships can be for 12, 18, 24 or 36 months based on the profession. The qualification will be completed on the job.

We advertise opportunities for professions such as:

  • business and administration (various areas including security, fleet, spacial data)
  • construction
  • cyber security
  • government investigations
  • maintenance
  • project management
  • work health and safety.

Join the Trainee Academy

Applications for our 2026 Trainee Academy have closed. We encourage you to stay updated for when trainee and other positions become available by:

For enquiries, please email our careers pathway team at vocational@goldcoast.qld.gov.au.

Eligibility

You must have:

  • full working rights in Australia for the duration of the program
  • Year 12 or equivalent (preferred).

Why choose our Trainee Academy?

  • Networking opportunities
  • City tours
  • Exclusive leadership talks
  • Tailored learning including work-based training and an extensive range of personal, professional and career development training designed to set you up for success
  • Assistance and support on your path to accreditation
  • Support for your continued development journey with future opportunities with us after the program
  • Work-life integration including 9-day fortnight, flexible working arrangements and generous leave entitlements

Employee benefits

Access a range of benefits to support your professional development, health, safety and wellbeing:

Modern flexible working arrangements

Training and professional development

Nine-day fortnights

Access to over 350 fitness facilities via Fitness Passport

Reward and recognition programs

Social Club

Testimonials

Trainee Construction

“Working for the City means I have the opportunity to learn from people who are genuinely invested in my growth and development. I get to work on projects that have real meaning and make a real impact on the people of the city’.

The achievement I am most proud of is contributing to the development of strong infrastructure for the residents of the City of Gold Coast, knowing that we are delivering high-quality work on every project”.

Tree Planning Technical Officer

“I chose my traineeship at the City of Gold Coast for its diverse opportunities in a supportive environment and the chance to positively impact my community. It formalised my existing skills and taught me new ones — plus, I got paid to study!

Working here lets me engage in public service while enjoying a healthy work-life balance. I even landed a full-time position after my traineeship and was named South East Queensland Trainee of the Year. What an experience!

I highly recommend this path for anyone considering a career change."

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