IPSWICH is poised to benefit from a major statewide employment boom, with Queensland expected to generate 185,000 new jobs over the next four years and deliver the region a 7.4 per cent rise in employment.
Health Care and Social Assistance is set to drive the strongest gains, with an estimated 62,400 additional workers needed – cementing the sector as the employer of one in six Queenslanders by the end of the decade.
Ipswich nurse Bridie Collier, who has worked in the region for 12 years, said the projections reflected what frontline health workers were already experiencing.
“We’ve been seeing the need for more nurses and health workers with growing demand every year,” Ms Collier said.
“Ipswich is growing so quickly, and that means more families, more patients, more care needed. We absolutely need more trained people coming through to keep up.”
The State Government announced last week that it would deliver 2000 additional Free Diploma of Nursing places in 2026.
The free diploma will support the Health Care and Social Assistance sector, which is projected to be Queensland’s fastest-growing industry by 2028-29.
The Free Diploma of Nursing will be available in 2026 through TAFE Queensland, CQUniversity and Mater Education.
Ms Collier said expanded training pathways would help strengthen the local workforce.
“Not everyone can afford to take time off to study, so free and low-cost training makes a huge difference,” she said.
“We need nurses, support workers, allied health professionals – people who understand our community. If we can train more workers locally, patients will feel that benefit almost immediately.”
Other industries expected to outpace average growth include Public Administration and Safety, Professional and Scientific Services, Education and Training, Electricity and Utilities, and Arts and Recreation.
The projections underpin the Government’s new Right Skills Strategy 2025-2028, a blueprint designed to ensure Queenslanders can access the training required for emerging roles.
The strategy commits $201.1 million to four new TAFE Centres of Excellence, expanded apprenticeships in priority fields, and free and low-cost training initiatives.
Alongside new positions, a further 250,000 vacancies are expected to arise statewide due to replacement demand –creating even more openings for jobseekers in the Ipswich region.
Jobs Queensland Board Chair Professor Michael Drew said the findings pointed to a rapidly evolving jobs landscape.
“Anticipating Future Skills helps Queensland look ahead with confidence,” Professor Drew said.
“It shows where opportunities are growing and what skills will matter most in the years ahead.”
