SEEK CAREERS
TRAINEESHIP
A traineeship employs workers in an entry-level role through which they receive on-the-job training, while they complete vocational study outside the workplace and obtain a qualification.
It is similar to an apprenticeship, but workers are in a nontrade vocational job, such as administration, retail, animal studies and dental assisting. They still earn while they learn.
Typical traineeships take 12 months to complete full time, making them a perfect option for a gap year.
Workers can choose to further their vocational study at the end of the traineeship, often staying employed at their host organisation, and further their career in the field, or leave to pursue other interests.
BARISTA
Many young people work in the hospitality industry on a gap year and barista is one job that has weekday hours, often office hours, or evening and weekend work if desired.
Once qualified, workers have the skills to work anywhere in the world, so can take on casual work while they travel overseas.
A one-day course gives workers the nationally recognised accreditation to work as a barista, although other one-day courses are available for them to hone their skills.
Working as a barista can give workers the ground skills for a career in hospitality, and because hours are varied, it can become a part-time job if a worker pursues tertiary study after a gap year.
HARVEST LABOURER
Explore your own backyard and travel across Australia with work in regional communities by following the harvest trail.
Whether it’s picking apples, grapes or lychees; packing pumpkins, onions or pears; or doing both with more than 20 other fruits and vegetables, there is work somewhere in Australia in every month of the year.
The work does not require a qualification and can involve long hours of labour, often outside.
But it will pay workers’ way around the country and they can take time before or after an assignment to enjoy leisure activities in the area.
As many foods are harvested in warmer weather, it could resemble a year-long endless summer.