Careers Corner
Employability or Transferable Skills
What skills are employers looking for when recruiting new employees? What skills and personal attributes would give job seekers the best chance of a job?
Employers consider that employability or transferable skills are as important as job-specific or technical skills.
Employers will seek those employability skills that are most important to their business and will choose workers who are strong in these areas – leading to improved matching of jobs, better job satisfaction and more productive organisations.
There are two facets to employability skills: “transferable” skills and ‘personal’ attributes.
Examples of Generic Transferable Skills
- Communication - productive and harmonious relations between employees and customers
- Customer Service – customer satisfaction; effectively promoting the features and benefits of products / services to customers
- Teamwork - productive working relationships
- Problem-solving - productive outcomes.
- Innovation - new ideas
- Planning and Organising - long-term and short-term strategic planning
- Budgeting – accounts / bookkeeping
- Self-management – managing time
- Learning - improvement and expansion in employee and company operations and outcomes
- Diversity – working well with others
- IT Technology – PC program literate (Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Access etc.)
Personal Attributes
Personal attributes are personality traits that can distinguish you from other people. You can develop your attributes through practical work experience, communicating with others and being eager to learn. Understanding what personal traits are, can help you identify and highlight your strengths to potential employers.
Common personal attributes include:
- Reliable
- Able to follow instructions
- Able to work independently and within a team environment
- Eye for detail
- Sympathetic, helpful and caring
- Empathy
- Maturity, motivation and drive
- Able to work methodically and accurately
- A “can do” attitude
- Pleasant, friendly, and considerate manner
- Able to work under pressure
Consider the following:
- Do you like to make your own decisions and act upon them?
- Are you good at organising?
- What are your own experiences with supervision?
- Have you ever been a class captain or group leader?
- Do others rely on you?
Skills and Abilities
A skill or ability is something you have learnt to do by applying your strengths and learnt knowledge. Any tasks which you can already do to a reasonable standard may help you to get a job in a related field.
Your list might look like this:
- Used a computerised cash register and EFTPOS efficiently
- Developed and printed photographs
- Speak another language fluently
- Can sell clothes
- Build good relationships between people
- Coached a football team
Local Skills / Labour Shortages
A Skill Shortage occupation means that employers are unable to, or have great difficulty in, filling vacancies for that occupation. Industry and Government Departments conduct surveys of employers in individual regions and/or specific industries which identify occupations in which employers are experiencing difficulty filling vacancies. This research includes occupations at all skill levels.
In some regions, the current occupations in demand include:
- Nursing
- Allied Health
- IT/Communication Technology
- Construction & Trades
- Early Childhood Teachers
- Occupational Therapists
- Physiotherapists
- Solicitors
- Social Workers
- Metal Fitters and Machinists
- Electricians
- Advertising & Public Relations
- Construction Managers
- Civil Engineering Professionals
- Human Resource Professionals
- Child, Aged and Disability Carers
Skills Training
Vocational Education and Training (VET)
New research suggests vocational education and training (VET) improves employment outcomes for people who do not have a job. Completing VET courses increases the likelihood of getting a job from 9% to 29 % in the first year after completion.
Benefits of VET are two-fold.
- VET prepares job seekers for work;
- It also equips them with the skills to maintain employment;
Training prepares multi-skilled workers.
Employers are more favourable in the development of an adaptable, multi-skilled workforce, capable of moving with the times. Multi-skilled employees have a number of different skills, enabling them to do more than just one kind of task or duty. Workers are trained to perform in a variety of tasks.
Skills and Jobs Centres
Skills and Jobs Centres offer free career, employment and training support services.
The centres are open to all members of the community. Whether you’re a secondary school student, a recent graduate, an experienced worker looking for a change, or someone who has been out of the workforce for some time, Skills and Jobs Centres can help you achieve your training and career goals. Skills and Jobs Centres are open to everyone.
How do I access a Skills and Jobs Centre?
Book an appointment using the contact details below.
Local Skills and Jobs Centres
Holmesglen
Phone: 03 9564 2755
Locations:
Chadstone Corner of Batesford & Warrigal Roads Chadstone, VIC 3148
Glen Waverley 595 Waverley Road Glen Waverley, VIC 3150 Building 12, open Tuesdays
Moorabbin 488 South Road Moorabbin, VIC 3198 Building 4, open Tuesdays
Swinburne
Phone: 03 9726 1450
Location
John Street Hawthorn, VIC 3122
Box Hill Institute
Phone: 03 8892 1350
Locations
Box Hill 465 Elgar Road Box Hill, VIC 3128
Ground floor, Building 7
Melbourne CBD - Centre for Adult Education 253 Flinders Lane Melbourne, VIC 3000
Room C1.431, open by appointment
Apprenticeships and Traineeships
- Apprenticeships and traineeships are entry-level positions that do not necessarily require you to have any specialised skills.
- There are two main differences between an apprentice and a trainee. An apprentice is trained in a skilled trade and upon successful completion will become a qualified tradesperson. Trades such as electrical, plumbing, cabinet-making and automotive mechanics are just a few that are a part of the apprenticeship scheme.
- A trainee is someone who is being trained in a vocational area. These vocational areas include, but are not limited to, office administration, information technology and hospitality. Upon completion of a traineeship you will be eligible to receive a certificate qualification.
- An apprenticeship or traineeship is a great stepping stone into a career. You’re paid to work and study; It provides a pathway from school to work, or from one industry to another; and you gain certificate qualifications and formal training.
Under some apprenticeships and traineeship schemes:
- An employer agrees to employ you for the term of the apprenticeship or traineeship
- You agree to attend off-the-job and / or workplace-based training
There are a range of jobs that you can take up through an apprenticeship or traineeship including Automotive Mechanics, Plumbers, Electricians, Carpenters, Chefs, Business Administration and Hairdressing just to mention a few. Check with the Careers and Pathways Coordinator for further information.
Quote “People that enter the workforce will work for five different companies and have ten different jobs before they retire. Most people discover their talents and interests during the first ten years of their working lives.” - Dr Adele Scheele - Internationally recognised career strategist.
William Angliss Institute
Phone: 03 9606 2111
Location
555 La Trobe Street Melbourne, VIC 3000 Ground floor, Building A
RMIT
Mobile: 0418 465 633
Location
39-43 Cardigan Street Carlton, VIC 3053 Building 70, Level 1
Chisholm
Phone: 03 9212 4909
Location
228-234 Lonsdale Street Dandenong, VIC 3175 Shop 1, open by appointment
April School Holiday Events
Deakin University Campus Tours Experience
Burwood Campus Tuesday 8 April - 9.00am – 3.00pm & Monday 14 April - 9.00am – 3.00pm
Discover Monash University Events
Clayton Campus Thursday 10 April, 10.00am – 11.30am and Friday 11 April, 2.00pm – 3.30pm
Caulfield Campus Friday 11 April, 10.00am – 11.15am
RMIT Campus Tours
The days that tours will take place are from Monday 7 April – Thursday 11 April 2025
Swinburne Campus Events
Creative Tuesday 8 April 9.00am – 3.15 pm
STEM, Aviation & Health Wednesday 9 April 9.00am – 3.15 pm
Social Impact & Innovation Thursday 10 April 9.00am – 3.15 pm
Please do not hesitate to contact the Careers and Pathways Coordinators for assistance.
Chris Kotsonis
Careers and Pathways Coordinator
Email: Chris.Kotsonis@education.vic.gov.au
Terry McGann
Careers and Pathways Coordinator