Hairdresser or Health Care?
The job force may not be as healthy as it was a couple of years
ago, but there are still jobs out there – and in some industries
employment is actually growing.
Health and community services is one of those. In fact, the sector
is expected to account for 24% of all new workforce growth.
There is also a skills shortage in a number of trades, and although
the construction industry may be feeling the pinch at the moment,
when the economic forecast turns around, there will be a dramatic
shortage of qualified tradesmen.
One study has said that in Australia there are around 60,000
unfilled skilled positions across construction, automotive trades
and metalworkers and 39,000 across building and engineering, accounting,
auditing, healthcare and computing.
Even if you’re not looking to embark on a career job there
are other jobs out there that can get you started. Entry level
jobs in NSW at places like Woolworths and Domino’s Pizza
are still being created and Energy Australia is seeking new apprentices.
And the Bus Industry Confederation claims there are 10,000 roles
for bus drivers going begging, although these figures could change
quite quickly.
www.jobsearch.gov.au has a comprehensive list of jobs available
throughout Australia and job network sites like www.careerone.com.au
can give you an idea of what kind of jobs are available.
Time for a change
The world has changed a lot in the past few years, as have jobs
and opportunities. While the job market is competitive there are
still many areas where there is a skill shortage – from specific
trades, to engineering and environmental work.
Thousands of new jobs will be created throughout NSW in industries
related to environmental sustainability. Scientists and tradespeople
will be in demand, as are aged care workers.
www.year12whatnext.gov.au can
give you an idea about where the jobs are and what skills are in
demand, as well as the training options available to school leavers.
Closing the books
If you decide you’ve had enough study for a while and want
to start work it’s worthwhile visiting a recruitment agency
where consultants can help you prepare a resume and match your
strengths and weaknesses to the most appropriate jobs.
Any job you take on will help you build a valuable bank of skills
that can be useful for future career choices. For example, customer
service skills, basic computer skills, teamwork, the ability to
sell and communication skills are used in nearly every job.
If you decide after a few years to build on those skills or change
direction completely and retrain you will have created a solid
foundation from which to work.
Volunteering your time
Working for free is a great way to learn the ropes - and open opportunities
for work.
Work experience and unpaid internships are often a crucial part
of any job hunt and working out what sort of career you might like.
You can work in local community groups or organisations. Applying
to work without pay in an industry builds contacts and provides
practical know-how and hands-on experience.
Sometimes it can even lead to that dream job. You can find out
about volunteering from the Volunteers Australia website
www.volunteeringaustralia.org
Bridging the gap
Even if you decide to go onto further study, you may want to take
a break and have a Gap Year. The cost of tertiary education may
mean it is wise to work for a year to get some study funds in the
bank.
There are many ways to spend your Gap Year and a lot of books
and websites on how to do it. Some students sign up for organised
programs overseas, where they work in a voluntary capacity or for
a small income with lodging and food supplied. Others work for
a period of time before they organise their own form of independent
travel.
And a Gap Year can give you the opportunity to gain a lot of life
skills and experience which future employers often require. The
Australian Defence Force has a Gap Year program that pays $40,000
for 12 months with no obligation to commit to any more time.
www.defencejobs.gov.au
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