OFF TO A GOOD START
WHERE THE OPPORTUNITIES ARE FOR YOUNG WORKERS AND JOBSEEKERS RIGHT NOW
Young workers were among the hardest hit by Covid-19 lockdowns but increased opportunities are now helping to put their careers back on track. Experts say entry-level roles are available across most sectors, providing a “foot in the door” for young people wanting to set themselves up for a successful long-term career.
Staff shortages in the hospitality sector have been widely reported, and Hays managing director Nick Deligiannis says demand in logistics and warehousing has skyrocketed since the start of the pandemic, with “easy” entry-level jobs promising good career progression longer term.
He says opportunities in healthcare, construction, procurement, customer service and technology have also increased since the Covid-19 outbreak, while high demand continues in accountancy and finance, mining, education and marketing.
“Provided you have a good work ethic, are willing to learn and want to work hard to advance your skills, these entry-level jobs provide an excellent foot in the door for anyone serious about launching their career and working from the ground up,” he says.
“Remember, you may not always be able to secure your ideal job or work in
your ideal industry immediately. (But) take any opportunity you can to build your experience and transferable skills then, over time, you can be proactive about moving into your preferred career path.”
Outplacement Australia director Gillian Kelly says the pandemic was particularly tough for younger workers, with industries that typically employ those aged under 25 – such as retail, tourism and hospitality – struck hard by lockdowns.
Not having relevant work experi
ence is also a “massive problem” for young people, but opportunities still exist.
“Apprenticeships and traineeships offer promising potential pathways for people with little experience,” she says.
“Additionally, areas with high demand will often look for people with the right potential to train up for a role, so look for hirers and organisations who are willing to invest in building your skills and experience.”
Kelly warns against being wooed
by high salaries, suggesting they may require other sacrifices, including time away from home – such as flyin-fly-out roles – or years of training.
They may also have weaker longterm prospects, she warns.
Pluralsight managing director Mike Featherstone says the technology sector provides plenty of options for young workers.
He says tech development and coding are well suited to those with an analytical mindset, while product development and user experience are best for those with an artistic background.
“Tech generally will always be in demand and the only real questions will be which technologies win and which ones lose,” he says.
“Unless you’ve built your entire skillset around one very niche language, and assuming you’re willing to learn, there will always be new areas to explore, work in and be promoted into.”
Real estate is another option, and Century 21 and Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate head trainer Andy Reid says it is ideally suited to Generation Z and young Millennials.
“One of the critical skills is human connection at scale and that is something young people have been raised to do inherently better than any generation ever,” Reid says.
“They have the ability to connect via social media, broadcasting, podcasting, all the different mediums … and the whole point of real estate is human connection.”
Reid, who previously worked in hospitality and has an engineering degree, says it is a common misconception that people need life experience to be able to sell a house – really, they just need empathy.
“As long as you are willing to put in three years of hard work in real estate instead of getting a degree that you will never use, by the time you are 30 or 35 you are laughing,” he says.