LOCAL business owners will have more resources to offer apprenticeship pathways thanks to $1 million in funding announced yesterday by the Queensland Premier.

Together with Minister for Training and Skills Development Shannon Fentiman, Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk made the announcement while visiting the Airlie Beach Welding and Fabrication company as part of the Governing from the Regions program.

Airlie Beach Welding and Fabrication owner Alec Sunter said the funding would encourage him to take on another apprentice.

"It would give the apprentice some incentive... Things like tools for the trade and old payments that went to the apprentice were all stopped," he said.

"An apprentice's journey is four years on a low income and you have to make it more lucrative and more attractive to an apprentice to take up this sort of occupation."

Ms Fentiman said employing an apprentice would not only benefit businesses, including small businesses, across Queensland but would be a shot in the arm for local economies.

"The Queensland Government will partner with industry groups and other peak bodies to fund industry-specific or local campaigns to generate more interest from businesses and people to sign up more apprentices," she said.

"To do this, we will work with industry and match their contributions dollar-for-dollar to roll out campaigns relevant to their workforce."

Ms Palaszczuk said the government was already backing apprentices with quality training and a range of other incentives, including the 2300 apprentices hired under its Back to Work program.

"We're also encouraging businesses to employ apprentices through payroll tax rebates, Back to Work payments and our construction training policy, but we need to do more," she said.