Jobs of The Future In Australia

No matter whether you are a school leaver, an educator assisting young people, or someone looking to change careers, it’s important that you understand how the world of work will look in future so that you can make informed decisions regarding your career. While most people who talk about jobs of the future focus solely on technology, our work as a Group Training Organisation has shown us that changes in jobs and the labour market are not driven by technology alone – but by generational, environmental and social changes. 

The past few years particularly have presented new challenges and significant shifts in the world of work that will likely still have further implications for decades to come.

Resources

Our collection of articles and resources at 1300apprentice will help you understand future jobs driven by technology, generational, and social change. 

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Helping people understand jobs of the future a passion for us for a long time now. As jobs change and evolve, we seek to assist in helping students not just find a job but find sustainable career that suits them. As the world changes, so too does the world of work. Jobs that once seemed essential can suddenly become obsolete, and new occupations can spring up in their place.

This is why it is vital that you understand what the workforce will look like in the future.

Preparing For The Future With Emerging Trends In Work

In today’s changing times, it can be challenging to figure out where to focus your professional pursuits when we’ve seen together how drastically the landscape can shift. But it is important to note that you can change between industries and jobs in Australia with the transferable skills that you build. You can also start upskilling with further studies to change course to high-paying positions or roles with high demand.

However, to get the best start in your career and path into lifelong learning, it is highly valuable to know where the opportunities are.

Here at 1300apprentice, we have identified some of the top jobs of the future in Australia that you can start on through VET-supported apprenticeships or traineeships:

Telecommunications

Telecommunications has been one of the fastest growing industries last century and is expected still only to grow. There are a range of roles within telecommunications, such as cabler, cable jointer, technician, network planner, field engineer, engineers and network engineers, with some positions in moderate demand with a current skill shortage and others projected to have strong future demand in the Australian labour force.

Supply chain operations (Warehousing)

Starting from the previous Covid-19 pandemic lockdowns, online shopping has risen exponentially. While people aren’t still shopping exactly as they had in this period, online retail is still high. For this reason, the need for more warehousing storepersons will increase.

Information technology

As technology evolves and more demand for digitalised services arises, so does the need for more professionals with computing skills. Almost every industry relies on IT support, which also means completing a certificate in information technology or cyber security. Both of these pathways offer you a wide range of opportunities or locations to work.

Spatial information services (Surveying)

The National Skills Commission predicts Architecture, Building and Surveying technicians to leap up by 8,800 or 11.9% in strong demand in their forecast projections up to November 2026. Surveyors support construction managers and architects in both planning and organising a project by interpreting plans, preparing sketches, revising materials and collecting data using surveying equipment.

Horticulture

Another strong consumer change from Covid-19 is a new appreciation for plants. The pandemic lockdown forced many people to be indoors, making plants inside or outside incredibly valuable for mental health. Many consumers still hold onto their newfound appreciation of nurseries, potted plants and beautiful gardens. Labour Market Insights predicts 10,500 new horticulture jobs, or a 13.5% increase, from Nov 21 to Nov 26.Furthermore, these were jobs you could not work from home, so while everyone was stuck indoors, horticulture professionals could work outdoors in nature. They also hold a lot of security in work, with less potential to be replaced by automation in future.

Engineering:

Post-covid Australia prioritises Australian-made products and Australian-owned companies, and part of this push means manufacturing is returning from overseas to our shores. This will place engineers in high demand, to support this boom.

Emerging Work Trends in Australia

Another way to understand how to prepare for the future is by understanding the directions of Australian workers and the labour. The last few years particularly have done a lot to shake up not just the ways we have used or embraced technology, such as with QR codes, but how Australian workers view and balance life and work.

Technological changes

Jobs of the future in Australia continue to lean towards further use of AI, machine learning, automation and prediction engines. While the rise of machines and automation have been seen as a bogeyman for many jobs for decades, we have already seen how AI, robots and machines have majorly been used in collaboration with workers to assist them in doing their work more efficiently, instead of as a replacement. So more than destroying jobs, automation and artificial intelligence appear to be more transforming jobs than replacing them.The latest changes that are still not yet here will be the use of virtual reality spaces, such as the Metaverse, and visual collaboration tools in work in future. These technologies help bring colleagues together and assist in visual planning, even when working remotely.

Generational changes

There are different patterns of mindsets in each generation when it comes to working. Many Gen-Z’s seek meaningful jobs with companies or roles that align with their values and allow them to stay connected with people and be themselves at work. This alignment is a strong driving factor, not just in the jobs, roles and companies Australian workers choose to work in but also in the changes we can expect from consumers.

Environmental changes

Another trend that we are seeing more young people gravitate toward in the world of work are jobs related to the green energy sector. Since the Paris Agreement in 2015, Australia and other nations worldwide have dedicated themselves to the cause of reducing carbon emissions by at least 45% in 2030 and down to net zero in 2050.According to the Climate Council, ‘ The Australian Way‘ outlined by the then Prime Minister Scott Morrison and the Minister for Industry, Energy and Emissions Reductions in 2021 falls short internationally to truly deliver on this goal ( the Labour Government has since recently lifted our pledge

from 28% to 43%
).However, since 2015 Australia has gradually been increasing offsetting and transitioning to clean energy with large and small-scale solar panels, wind farms, battery farms, EV vehicles and hydrogen fusion. To continue and ramp up this transition, electricity and renewable energy companies will continue to need more engineers with cross-sectional expertise, mechanics with the ability to work with EV vehicles, and data scientists and analysts to be the thought leaders to drive this change. The Climate Council also reports an estimated 28,000 additional jobs nationwide (comparing 2030 to 2014, excluding bio-energy and hydrogen jobs), in the case that we meet our previous 50% by 2030 target.

Social changes

One of the most significant social trends affecting work that has hit Australia, America and the UK, is the Great Resignation. After an emerging disillusionment with work through changes through Covid-19 and other stressful events, many employees have their job and how it affects the rest of their life in extra thought. Many workers worked from home, and others simply needed to stay home to isolate themselves during the lockdown, forcing many to re-evaluate. As a result, Australia’s future jobs have been moving in the direction of good work and life balance; employers have been looking for more ways to help assist their employees’ mental health. One highly pushed solution has been the ability to continue working from home or flexible hybrid work meaning a shorter working week.

Working With You

Our goal is to assist you in your job-seeking journey to ensure success. If you’re not sure what steps to take next, we’re here to help.

Whether you are a job seeker or a career advisor, we invite you to connect with us, and we’ll work with you to help you achieve your goals. We have assisted over 2000 people in finding opportunities for long-term careers.

Alternatively, if you are an employer looking for an apprentice, trainee or short term staff in one of these roles above, we can help plus we have contract labour solutions through our talented network.