Useful for: Teachers, Career Advisers, Students & Families

To show students the breadth of sustainability careers beyond the traditional environmental jobs and connect current skills with future work.

Explore the pathways that students can take into sustainability-focused careers across industry. From Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) roles to the Circular Economy, Resource Recovery, and broader Sustainability fields, these pathways open doors to meaningful, future-proof jobs. Each one highlights how the skills students learn today — problem-solving, innovation, and ethical leadership — can grow into careers that shape thriving businesses, stronger communities, and a healthier planet.

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Useful for: Teachers, Business Managers, P&Cs, School Leaders

Want a productive school garden without creating another high-maintenance job? Explore how wicking garden systems can reduce water use while creating hands-on opportunities to learn about food, water and sustainable systems.

WaterUps wicking garden systems help schools grow productive gardens while saving up to 80% of water. Designed for education settings, the modular beds are durable, easy to install, and support hands-on learning about sustainability, food systems and environmental stewardship. A practical way to bring outdoor learning and circular thinking into your school community.

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Useful for: Teachers, P&Cs, Students & Families

Looking for a simple sustainability idea students can take home? Explore practical ways to store fruit and vegetables so they last longer — opening conversations about food waste, household costs and making better use of what we already have.

Food waste is one of the easiest places to make a practical difference — yet much of it comes down to simple habits. This resource shares easy ways to store fruits and vegetables so they last longer, helping reduce waste, save money, and build awareness of how everyday choices connect to larger sustainability systems. A simple starting point for classrooms, households, or school holiday conversations around food, storage and resource use.

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Useful for: Business Managers, School Leaders, P&Cs

Does your school rely on tank water for gardens, irrigation or facilities? Understanding how much water is available can help identify unusual use, plan ahead and avoid unexpected shortages. This information pack introduces one standalone approach to monitoring tank levels, usage patterns and potential leaks.

Water systems are part of everyday school infrastructure, yet they're often invisible. This product can help with simple monitoring, making water use more visible — helping schools understand patterns, identify issues early, and make more informed decisions around consumption and planning, especially over school holidays. It also opens up opportunities to connect students with real-world resource management, turning something already on-site into a practical learning system.

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Useful for: Teachers, Career Advisers, Students & Families

Green skills are becoming part of how work gets done across every industry. Schools can help young people build practical, transferable capabilities early — and this report shows why that matters now.

Green skills are becoming part of how work gets done across every industry — from manufacturing and logistics to operations, construction, and business. That creates a real opportunity. Schools can help young people build practical, transferable capabilities early, while industry and government can help shape the conditions for those skills to grow. As demand continues to rise, so does the value of working together.

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Useful for: Career Advisers, Teachers, Students & Families

Curious how automation, AI and sustainability are reshaping trade careers? This report looks at the capabilities the future trades workforce will need — and why adaptability matters as much as technical skill.

Manufacturing is evolving quickly through automation, AI, digital systems, and growing expectations around sustainability. The latest report from Manufacturing Skills Queensland offers a helpful look at the capabilities needed across the future trades workforce — and why adaptability matters just as much as technical skill.

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Useful for: School Leaders, Career Advisers, Teachers

Trying to understand where training and workforce opportunities are growing? The Queensland Skills Strategy (Good Jobs, Great Training 2024–2028) helps schools see Queensland's skills priorities, changing vocational pathways and the industries likely to need future workers.

This policy outlines Queensland's five-year strategy for aligning vocational education and training with future job needs. It focuses on expanding access to subsidised and free TAFE, building skills for high-demand industries (including emerging green sectors), strengthening training outcomes, and investing in lifelong learning.

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Useful for: School Leaders, Career Advisers, Teachers

Want to understand where Queensland industry is heading — and what that could mean for students? This strategy provides useful insight into emerging technologies, workforce needs and the future of sustainable, high-value manufacturing.

This strategy document from the Queensland Government sets out a 10-year vision to modernise the state's manufacturing sector. It highlights priorities like advanced materials, clean technologies, workforce development and supply chain resilience — aiming to position Queensland as a leader in sustainable, high-value production.

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Useful for: Teachers, Business Managers, P&Cs, Students & Families

Starting a composting system — or wondering why your current one is not quite working? This practical guide helps schools and communities understand how to turn organic material into a useful resource while building healthier soils.

A practical guide to transforming organic waste into thriving ecosystems. Developed through Brisbane City Council's Master Composter Program, this resource supports schools and communities to apply circular economy principles, regenerate soil health, and build connected, sustainable futures where people and planet thrive together.

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Useful for: Teachers, School Leaders

Looking for ideas that go beyond a single lesson or activity? Explore free STEAM-aligned resources, teaching approaches and school-wide frameworks designed to help sustainability become part of learning and action.

A rich, free hub of STEAM-aligned curriculum, sustainability pathways, and educator support. The Sustainables Academy offers downloadable resources, pedagogy models, and school-wide frameworks to help classrooms become ecosystems of action, learning, and impact.

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Useful for: School Leaders, Business Managers, P&Cs

Want to move sustainability from a good intention to part of how decisions are actually made? This guide explores how purpose, sustainability and financial thinking can work together — useful for leaders building the case for long-term change.

This guide offers a clear, actionable pathway for businesses (and change agents) to align sustainability with profitability. It introduces the Impact Blueprint — five core principles to reframe mindset, mission, mapping, movement, and magnification — helping organisations embed circular economy thinking, ESG leadership, and regenerative business models.

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Useful for: School Leaders, Business Managers, P&Cs

Setting school sustainability priorities or building a case for change? This strategy helps schools understand Queensland's targets and direction — useful context when planning resource recovery, infrastructure and future investment.

Queensland's Waste Strategy 2025–2030 lays out bold, measurable targets to reduce waste, increase recycling, and drive the state toward a cleaner, circular economy. Perfect for schools aiming to align your sustainability plans with state goals — and to leverage policy momentum for meaningful change.

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Useful for: Career Advisers, Teachers, Students & Families

Want to show students where STEM, technical skills and trades could lead in an emerging industry? This visual guide connects learning and training with potential roles in Queensland's growing hydrogen economy.

Find out more on emerging job roles and training pathways in the hydrogen economy across Queensland. It's a useful snapshot for school students, teachers and career advisers seeking a clear visual guide to how learning STEM, technical trades and hydrogen-related competencies feed into real employment opportunities in the clean energy transition.

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Useful for: Career Advisers, Teachers, Students & Families

Helping students explore where the energy transition could take them? This guide maps emerging career pathways and the skills and training that can lead to work across renewable energy and sustainability.

This handy guide maps out the fast-growing green energy and sustainability career pathways across Queensland. From renewable energy to resource recovery, it highlights the skills and training needed for the jobs of the future—helping schools inspire students to connect classroom learning with real-world opportunities.

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Useful for: Teachers, Business Managers, P&Cs, Students & Families

Ever stood over a bin wondering where something actually goes? Use Recycle Mate to quickly check how and where items can be recycled locally — helping reduce contamination and make better recycling decisions at school and at home.

Make recycling simple and accurate with the free Recycle Mate app. Just snap a photo or type an item to learn exactly how and where it can be recycled in your area. A quick, reliable way for schools and families to reduce contamination and keep valuable materials in the circular economy.

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Useful for: Career Advisers, Teachers, Students & Families

Still picturing manufacturing as production lines and traditional trades? This resource helps students and families explore the diverse, technology-driven and increasingly sustainable careers shaping modern manufacturing.

Manufacturing is a dynamic and innovative industry that offers endless opportunities for growth and success. From cutting-edge technology to sustainable practices, this sector is at the forefront of shaping our future. Whether you're a student, job seeker, or looking for a career change, manufacturing provides diverse pathways to exciting and rewarding careers.

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Useful for: Teachers, Career Advisers

Want ready-to-use career education that connects learning with modern industry? This short course provides flexible lesson plans, worksheets and assessment materials that can be integrated into existing programs or delivered as a complete course.

The Your Career Factory Career Education Short Course from Manufacturing Skills Queensland provides ready-to-use resources aligned with the Queensland Curriculum and Assessment Authority (QCAA) syllabus. Designed to help students connect their learning with real career pathways, the program explores skills, future work opportunities and the role of modern manufacturing.

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Useful for: Business Managers, P&Cs, School Leaders, Teachers

Have materials your school no longer needs — or need materials someone else may be discarding? ASPIRE shows how schools, businesses and communities can connect to keep useful resources in circulation, reduce disposal costs and find new value in what might otherwise be wasted.

ASPIRE connects schools, businesses and communities to recover resources and give materials a second life. It's a simple way to save costs, spark new ideas and show how a circular economy can flourish when we work together.

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Useful for: School Leaders, Business Managers, P&Cs

Planning your school's next sustainability project or looking for the bigger picture behind Queensland's direction? Use this resource to connect school priorities with state goals, identify opportunities for action and explore potential funding pathways.

Discover how Queensland is reshaping the way we use—and reuse—resources. This state-wide framework outlines the path to a circular economy: reducing waste, designing out landfill and keeping materials in use for longer. It also highlights funding opportunities and grants to help schools kick-start projects and turn everyday actions into measurable impact.

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Useful for: P&Cs

Wondering how your P&C can drive practical sustainability outcomes while creating opportunities for students and the school community? Start here.

Discover how your P&C can help drive practical sustainability outcomes while creating new opportunities for students and the wider school community. This free guide explains how Climate Action Schools helps schools recover value from resources currently sent to landfill, build industry connections, reduce waste, and create meaningful learning experiences. Includes an overview of the program, implementation steps, leadership briefing information, and potential benefits for schools, students and P&Cs.

Download the welcome kit →