What better way to start 2023 than with a teaser of the top industries hiring Gen Zs in Australia over the coming year.
We’ve also got some handy resources parents and teachers can use to help young people get their foot in the door to hundreds of exciting careers!
Drumroll, please…
- Tech
The tech skills shortage is nothing new. But as businesses in Australia (and around the world) increasingly turn to automation and digitisation, the industry is crying out for tech talent.
In fact, job vacancy rates in tech are 60% higher than the national average of any other industry – so if you’re interested in a career in tech, now’s the time to get the ball rolling.
Our free online DigiSkills course, which we developed with the Australian Government’as Digital Skills Organisation (DSO), is a great place to start. Modules like ‘How digital skills can land you any job’ and ‘How to upgrade your digital skills’ help you better understand what a career in tech is really like (plot twist – it’s so much more than IT!) while providing you with an arsenal of digital skills at your fingertips can put you head and shoulders above their competition.
Check out how you can get into tech roles involved in trade, e-commerce, mining, marketing, and even the innovative delivery of public services like health and education here.
- Mining
Wait, wait waittttttt. Before you skip to number 3, bear with us a second.
The mining industry isn’t as cringe as you might think. We promise.
In fact, gone are the days when mining was all giant, smokey holes in the ground extracting fossil fuels that have so contributed to the current climate crisis and impending climate catastrophe.
Nope. The natural resources sector today is more about the development of innovative emerging technologies (like electric cars, for example) that are paving the way for a more sustainable future.
New technologies are also being used to access mineral resources in a safer and more efficient way to help preserve local ecologies. With them playing such a huge part in Australia’s, and the world’s, future means that there are a tonne of career opportunities in the mining industry too.
So if that sounds interesting to you, check out our free online Resourcefulness course we created with the Australian Government’s Australian Minerals & Energy Skills Alliance (AUSMESA) to see what the industry really has to offer.
- Defence
With a shortfall of more than 3000 personnel, and a Defence Department more than a thousand staff under the budgeted capacity, the Australian Defence Force (ADF) has one of the most serious skills shortages in Australia.
This makes the ADF a jobs gold mine for Gen Z school leavers with an incredible variety of career opportunities available, especially for young Australians looking for something a little different from the traditional 9-5.
To find out more about how your skills, strengths or interests can get an amazing career serving Australia’s interests here and abroad with the Australian Defence Force, check out our free online Choose your Adventure course made in conjunction with Defence Force Recruiting (DFR).
- Construction
Those age-old stereotypes of the traditional blue-collar tradies with plumber’s cracks, wearing high-vis and driving a Toyota Hilux?
Yeah, nah. Not anymore.
While the old servo pie and choccy milk for lunch (this writer says while fantasising about said servo pie) might still be a tradie’s go-to, people working in construction today are actually some of the most skilled, creative, innovative, and hard-working people out there.
And as the variety of roles has expanded exponentially – so have your job prospects.
While classic trades in construction such as bricklaying, carpentry, concreting, plumbing and plastering are still in demand, as are what’s called ‘paraprofessional roles’ like architect, drafter, construction manager, civil engineering technician, contract administrator or even interior designer.
So if you’re keen on finding out more about how the construction industry is a viable career choice for almost everyone, check out our free online New-print of Construction course made in partnership with Construction Skills Queensland, which will break down everything you thought you knew about construction, with modules like ‘Skills of the Industry’ and ‘Gearing up for the job’ helping you better understand what it takes to make a career of it, and what the future could hold for you.
- Engineering
Gen Zs are vibing with engineering.
And that’s pretty bloody convenient considering the demand for engineers is the highest it’s been in a decade, with Engineers Australia reporting a 50% increase in engineering jobs in 2021.
So to help connect Gen Zs with the engineering industry they’re so interested in, we teamed up with Engineers Australia to create the free online Engineering your Future academy, where you can find out what it’s really like being an engineer, how to get started, and what sorts of exciting projects you could be working on in the future.
Modules like ‘Getting into gear’ and ‘Customise your career’ help explain how engineering is all about blending science, creativity and problem-solving to design the world around us.
- Human services
If you’re not really sure what the human services industry entails, you’re not alone.
That’s why we teamed up with the Human Services Skills Organisation (HSSO) to create the free online Positive Humanity course, showcasing the amazing breadth and depth of the human services sector – which covers a range of people-oriented jobs that are all about improving people’s lives like aged care, disability care and more.
Check out modules like, ‘Helping you help others’ and ‘Looking ahead’ to get you on track for in-demand jobs like behavioural management aide, case worker, social worker, community outreach manager, child or family services advocate, child welfare specialist, substance abuse counsellor and more.
- Early childhood education
Did you know that early childhood education is one of the most in-demand occupations in Australia?
In fact, according to The Mandarin, the estimated shortage of early childhood educators was 16,000 in May this year – which is a shocking skill-shortage of workers in an occupation that plays a vital role in a child’s life.
With experts saying it’s being driven by three key challenges – increased demand for services, poor value proposition, and an ageing workforce, we’ve teamed up with the Department of Education and Training Victoria to show you that you can use your amazing passions and interests to help young kids get the best start in life possible. Check out our free online Serious About Play academy to find out how you or a young person you know can get started in one of the most important and fulfilling careers out there.
