GEN Z READY TO WORK
YOUNGER WORKERS ARE THE KEY TO ADDRESSING THE NATIONAL LABOUR SHORTAGE, WRITES LAUREN AHWAN
YOUNG people could significantly ease Australia’s labour crisis if they were given more opportunities by employers.
Generation Z care less about where they work and more about the number of hours on offer, exclusive findings from digital workplace platform Workjam reveal.
Almost one in three young workers are employed for less than 10 hours each week.
But the research – which focuses on frontline workers, like those in retail and hospitality, but has broader applications – finds 60 per cent would consider working from several different locations if it meant access to more shifts.
Nearly half of Gen Z workers, aged 16 to 25 years, would be prepared to travel more than 20km for extra work.
GETTING BACK ON TRACK
Gen Z workers from all sectors are under-utilised, according to career coach Leah Lambart, from job site Indeed.
She says many young people finished their qualifications during the pandemic’s freeze on hiring and were forced to take on jobs – and hours – that were far from their ideal.
“But there is a big labour shortage at the moment and this is the opportune time for them to be seeking out work that they really want to do,” Lambart says.
“You don’t even have to apply just for advertised jobs – you could go direct to organisations that you really want to work for and ask (for a job opportunity).
“All you need is a very well written cover letter, explaining the reasons why you want to work for that organisation.”
She says microcredentials, which are often free to complete, can boost the skills and confidence of those working in a job not matched to their qualifications or passions.
Those wanting to remain in their current industry who are not getting enough hours should ask their boss for more work or a different role within the business, Lambart says.
TIME TO FILL SHIFTS
Comprising one-fifth of Australia’s population, Gen Z workers should be better used to significantly ease talent shortages, Workjam managing director Andrew Myers says.
“In hospitality, in retail and even in the aged care sector, Gen Zs are definitely looking for more work and … we should be leaning into their skills to fill frontline shifts amid a national labour shortage crisis,” Myers says.
Too often, he says, people are hired to work at a specific store or site within a larger organisation and are unable to view roster availabilities across other company sites, restricting their ability to pick up more hours. He suggests companies embrace technology that allows workers to be notified of available shifts at all sites, which would benefit both staff and employers.
WORKLOAD AND UNI BLEND
Working in childcare gives Maddie Henry all the hours she needs to make ends meet.
Henry, 21, started with Milestones Early Learning at Oxley Vale, in NSW, in a casual position while finishing a Certificate Iii-level early childhood qualification.
Within three months, she was offered a part-time permanent position and is now working 37.5 hours a week, which she says is the perfect workload, given she is about to start university studies to be an early childhood educator.
“There’s plenty of work (in the childcare sector) and getting those extra hours has really helped to be able to afford stuff,” Henry says.
New research shows many young frontline workers are employed for fewer than 10 hours a week, despite being willing to take on more hours.
Henry says the childcare sector offers many opportunities but she is noticing very few young people enter the profession.
“Most just don’t think about going into childcare,” she says.
“They want to get into really highpaying jobs and things like that but there’s a lot of opportunities (in childcare) and it is a job that is really fulfilling.”
Extreme workforce shortages are crippling childcare centres throughout Australia, with parents being turned away because there is not enough staff.
While Henry says she has been deployed to other Milestones centres to cover staff absences, she prefers to be based at just one site and appreciates having enough rostered hours to avoid working elsewhere.
“It (working from one site) lets you build that relationship with the children so they feel more comfortable around you and they know you’re a familiar face,” she says.
RACE 5 – Benchmark 65 (1700m) Call Me Legend got going late to finish within a length of the winner last time out and handles the heavy going. Shopping Wise landed the prize over this distance here last start and was not beaten far the start prior on heavy going. Daring Man lugs some extra kilos but is coming off a last-start victory at this track and trip and can threaten again. Will He Foxtrot is attempting the 1700m trip for the first time but ran on well over 1500m at Kilcoy and can get into the money.
SELECTIONS: 3 Call Me Legend, 12 Shopping Wise, 2 Daring Man, 8 Will He Foxtrot RACE 6 – Open Handicap (1350m) Lord Markel blew them away here over 1100m when first-up from a spell on a heavy track two starts back and was only narrowly beaten next time out despite over-racing. Love Struck is the main danger coming off a dominant victory on the heavy but does carry an extra 4kg. Harlequin Field drops weight on his last couple of runs in similar company and has an imposing record at Aquis Park Gold Coast. Red Bloom drops back from city grade and must be included given her terrific third-up record. SELECTIONS: 3 Lord Markel, 1 Love Struck, 5 Harlequin Field, 7 Red Bloom RACE 7 – Benchmark 68 (1350m) Avenue Of Stars grows a leg in the wet at the Gold Coast and it might pay to forgive last start when he worked to find the front after knuckling at the start. Air Marshal put in an eyecatching run out wide when beaten by a narrow margin last time and can threaten if he doesn’t run at Doomben.
Ocean Emperor was supported late in betting last start and stuck-on well after covering ground. Can bounce back. I Want One has been consistent at his last few runs and can get into the money again.
SELECTIONS: 1 Avenue Of Stars, 4 Air Marshal, 8 Ocean Emperor, 5 I Want One RACE 8 – Class 1 Handicap (1200m) Graphite Mist was heavily backed when breaking her maiden at her first Queensland start and could well go on with it here. Rebel News won his maiden here last start before heading to the paddock and has a couple of trials under his belt leading into this. Gee Bee Ess prepares for her first start in the Sunshine State and her Victorian form should stack-up well. No Love Lost won her maiden comfortably after leading all the way last time out and is likely to push forward from the wide gate. SELECTIONS: 6 Graphite Mist, 4 Rebel News, 2 Gee Bee Ess, 3 No Love Lost