3 JOBS TO BE ON TOP OF THE WORLD

1 TRAVEL PROFESSIONAL

An extra 7300 tourism and travel advisers are forecast to be needed in the five years to November, 2020, Employment Department figures show. This is considered a strong growth outlook as the workforce is relatively small, comprising 25,600 workers in 2015. Many advisers hold a vocational qualification, such as a Certificate II in Tourism or Diploma of Travel and Tourism. These teach practical skills such as how to use the industry’s booking software. The best way for someone to prepare for a career in travel, however, is for them to travel themself. It is much easier to give advice on a country, visa application or transport options if you have had first-hand experience.

2 PILOT

The Civil Aviation Safety Authority stipulates three stages to becoming a commercial pilot. Firstly, a person must learn to fly as a student pilot through an aviation school. Second, they should get their recreational or private pilot licence. Third, they need to log enough hours of flying to be deemed competent and pass the test to gain a commercial or air transport pilot licence. Qantas pilots earn on average $105,000 a year, PayScale data shows. However, this figure can rise much higher with experience. Air transport professionals in Australia – including pilots, air traffic controllers and flying instructors –are most commonly male (87.5 per cent) and older than most workers (averaging 44 compared to 40 overall).

3 CHIEF EXECUTIVE

A chief executive officer (CEO) is the highest-ranking executive in a company and is responsible for making major decisions, managing overall operations and resources, and acting as the main point of contact between the board of directors and corporate operations. Employment Department projections reveal about 1000 more roles for chief executives and managing directors are expected to be created across Australia in the five years to May, 2022 – an increase of 1.8 per cent. Workers in these positions are typically highly qualified and have gained extensive experience in their field. Many hold a Master of Business Administration (MBA) or similar postgraduate qualification (27.6 per cent) – well above the average across all occupations (8.6 per cent). The average chief executive or managing director is 50 years old, works 48.3 hours a week and earns about $134,000 a year.