Looking for an almost surefire way to secure a job in the future? Why not consider looking into and training for entry into an industry where there is a current or ongoing skill shortages in Australia? Many industries in Australia experience a shortage of skilled workers, meaning that there are areas of the labour market that have a high demand for suitably qualified workers – and this is where you come in. We’ve put together a skills shortage list for Australia that may very well mention your dream job, so read on to find out what sort of opportunities await you.
Registered Nurse
If you have been to hospital (or a similar situation) any time in the past, you may have seen how nurses are constantly kept on their feet and are required to look after multiple patients at a time. This is because nurses are on the top ten list when it comes to skill shortages in Australia – nursing is a wonderfully rewarding career but also a challenging one, and of course is not for the faint of heart. If you wish to become a nurse, you’ll need to complete a Bachelor of Nursing, Bachelor of Science (majoring in Nursing) or Bachelor of Nursing (Advanced Studies). If you have previous tertiary qualifications, you can instead choose to complete a two-year Master of Nursing (Graduate Entry) program. Alternatively, you can look into allied health courses, which will allow you to work in hospitals, doctor's surgeries, and other allied health practices in order to prevent, diagnose and treat a range of conditions.
Interested in a health career outside of nursing? Consider a job in health administration, with a HLT47315 Certificate IV in Health Administration.
Early Childhood Teacher
If you love teaching and working with children, good news: early childhood teachers make the skills shortage list for Australia. Teachers across many sectors are in high demand, including high school and English teachers, but the childhood sector has not been spared either, with the demand for pre-primary school teachers rising year-on-year. With the right childcare and early education course, you can become a preschool teacher, a childcare center director, a childcare worker, or even a school counsellor.
Software and Applications Programmers
As our need for technology grows, so too do the roles for software and applications programmers. With such demand in the industry, you can likely take you pick from a range of roles, including interface, web and back-end design, front end and full-stack developers. Despite there being so many positions of this nature open, the salary for software and application programmers is quite decent, beginning at around $60,000 for software programmers and reaching up towards $90,000 for application developers.
There are numerous other IT roles that need to be filled as well, including workers with abilities in security, data and the cloud network.
Construction Workers & Skilled Trade
With new buildings and homes constantly going up in capital cities and suburbs all across Australia, you may be led to think that we have plenty of construction workers and skilled laborers. There is actually particular demand for trades including electricians, plumbers, joiners and carpenters, as well as non-skilled laborers. Skilled traders such as metal machinists, sheet metal workers, welders, fitters and metal fabricators are also in high demand.
Farmers
Farmers are part of the lifeblood of Australia and Australian trade, which is why it can be a surprise to hear that there are many skill shortages in Australia in the farming industry. Australia certainly has the capacity to take on seasonal farm workers, such as fruit pickers, but also requires farm workers with higher qualifications.
Mining Workers
Being a mining worker doesn’t necessarily mean you’ll have to plunge under the ground – many skills shortage lists in Australia mention roles such as geologists, mining engineers, drill and blast operators, boilermakers, and dump truck operators. While mining is a supercharged sector that fuels a good deal of Australia’s economy, it’s also a demanding one, so there are frequently job positions open for those who are up for the challenge.
Engineers
Engineers are another common profession seen on lists of skill shortages in Australia, with engineers required in many fields including mechanical, industrial, electronics, transport and electrical engineers. Due to a range of factors, including decline in young people wishing to study advanced sciences, most of Australia’s new engineers are permanent visa holders or temporary visa holders. This means that, with the right education, you can set yourself for a surefire career in engineering.
Looking to upskill or move into a new career – possibly in one of the fields mentioned above? Foundation Education provides a range of online certificates and diplomas across 11 industries to help you get into a new field of work faster.
