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Tech Connect Queensland: Empowering young people to build creative careers

At VFFF, we believe in backing organisations, people and ideas that create real opportunities for young people. That’s why, in March 2022, we approved a grant to support a three-year pilot of Tech Connect Queensland (TCQ), a program designed to transform the lives of aspiring live production professionals across Queensland.

Delivered through a collaboration between Arts Centre Melbourne, Queensland Performing Arts Centre (QPAC), and Stage Queensland, TCQ offers young people a 12-month paid traineeship in live production. From lighting and audio to staging and vision, participants gain hands-on experience while earning nationally accredited qualifications.

The results speak volumes. Since the program launch, TCQ has supported 38 young people across 14 venues, with a remarkable 92% course completion rate and 100% employment retention one year after graduation. The program has opened doors for young people from all walks of life, including those who identify as First Nations, neurodiverse, or non-binary, creating a more inclusive and vibrant program.

Tech Connect Queensland participants

For many young people, participation in the TCQ has been more than just a training program, it has been life changing. “Without this opportunity, I’d still be working casually in a fruit shop,” said one 2025 trainee. “Now I’m building a career in something I’ve always dreamed of”.

The program’s success has been recognised nationally, winning the 2023 PAC Australia Innovation Award, while an independent economic evaluation confirmed its value, showing a positive return on investment and the potential for long-term benefits for both trainees and the industry.

As the impacts of the pilot program are consolidated and the program enters its next phase, the momentum to keep empowering young people to shine the spotlight is strong. VFFF is proud to be providing further funding over the next three years to support QPAC’s focus on reducing barriers for young people from rural and regional art centres to participate in the TCQ program.