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Careers: Career Options

Labour Market

Labour Market & Skills Shortages

When there aren't enough people with the specialist skills that are  needed to do a particular kind of work, the result is known as a 'skill in demand' (you may also hear it described as a 'skills shortage'). For example, if a chemical engineering firm has four jobs available for chemical engineers, but only two qualified chemical engineers apply for those jobs, the other two jobs have to stay vacant, no matter how many  other people apply.

Why are some skills in demand? There are lots of reasons why some skills are in demand, including:

  • A lack of skilled people in a particular place 
  • Image problems making people not want to do that job 
  • A lack of investment in training 
  • Changes in the labour market because of changes in technology or the economy

The kind of skills in demand in can be very different from place to  place. One area might have a demand for skilled hairdressers and  horticulturists, while another might have a demand for doctors and  childcare workers. 

How do I find out what skills are in demand? 

The Victorian Government has prepared a state-wide survey of skills in demand in regional Victoria. This survey outlines what kind of skills are in demand in different  parts of Victoria. There's also a summary report that gives an overview  of the entire project.

Things to think about:

  • Just because a skill is in demand, it doesn't mean you can  automatically get a job in that area. You still need the specialised  skills required. 
  • If you're thinking about training for a skill in demand,  remember that some places with skill shortages now might not have the  same shortages when you finish training. 
  • Don't choose a skill in demand just because it's in demand. It's always better to pick a job that actually interests you.

Where to go for more information:

Start here - the Labour Market Information Portal on the Department of Education, Employment and Workplace relations.

Employment Information

  • Fair Work Ombudsman- Information about employment and government assistance in Australia  including wages, working conditions, labour markets and careers
  • Job Outlook - Information on job prospects, employment rates and average income of jobs

Career options

Career Options

To Start, we recommend that you click here to watch a short clip on YouTube called "Your Career, Make it Happen", featuring Mark Furze (Home and Away) and Angela Bishop (Entertainment Reporter, Network Ten).
Most of the information on the following pages has been  collated from the Victorian Department of Education Career Transition website. There is a enormous wealth of information provided on the web, so we've tried to collate some of the most useful links here, under some key  areas;

Acknowledgement of St Kevins Careers Department for sharing this content. 2014

Career Research

Career Research

A career includes all the roles you undertake throughout your life -  education, training, paid and unpaid work, family, volunteer work,  leisure activities and more. "Career" was traditionally associated with  paid employment and referred to a single occupation. In today's world  the term career is seen as a continuous process of learning and  development. Activities that contribute to a career can include:

  • training 
  • education 
  • employment 
  • work experience 
  • community activities 
  • enterprise activities 
  • employment 
  • different life roles 
  • volunteer work 
  • leisure activities
Where to go for career planning and pathways information:

 

  • Skills Victoria - Victorian course and careers information for prospective students, apprentices, training organisations and employers.
  • Year 12 - what next? - Guide for Year 12 students planning their post-school education and training
  • Hobsons Guides - Database of course, careers and education institutions as well as ratings and rankings to help in making choices
  • Volunteering Australia - Information about volunteer work experiences
  • The GradsOnline website is a free online resource offering graduate destinations,  employment and starting salaries information. Search the survey data and generate results according to the degree type and field of study. 
Occupations - where to find more information
There is a vast array of information about occupations available online. We recommend three websites - Youth Central, MyFuture and The Job Guide;
 
myfuture

 The myfuture website organises occupations alphabetically, by industry and by  occupational group. Business and social enterprises are grouped into  industries. There are three levels of industry: primary, secondary and  tertiary.

http://www.myfuture.edu.au/

 

Youth Central

For young Victorians, the Youth Central website includes career profiles under the following headings:

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