Careers News

New and Emerging Occupations

Coronavirus (COVID -19) has resulted in the emergence of new occupations requiring people to adapt and learn new skills. Manufacturers have had to learn new technologies to make products they have never made before COVID-19 like hand sanitisers PPE and respirators, so too has hospitality have to adapt to the new landscape of dining at-home meals and take- away food. 

Emerging occupations are defined as new, frequently advertised jobs which are substantially different to occupations already defined in the Australian and New Zealand Standard Classification of Occupations (ANZSCO) – such as data scientist and data analyst. 

The skills we need for work are changing. Planning for these changes is what you can be doing now to be ready. New technology is changing the way we work., but there will be many opportunities created for the right skills.

Non-routine jobs which need human problem-solving, creativity, adaptability, flexibility, physical dexterity, and communication skills will be the jobs of the future. As will jobs requiring physical proximity and interpersonal skills. Examples include engineering, design, construction, education, health services and care work.

Almost two-thirds of employment growth is projected to be in four sectors:

• Health care and social assistance;
• Construction;
• Education and Training;
• Professional, scientific and technical services.

Research from the Foundation for Young Australians found there are four key factors which can accelerate the transition from education to full-time work:

• an education that builds transferable skills such as problem-solving, communication and teamwork;
• being able to undertake relevant paid work experience;
• finding employment in a sector which is growing;
• an optimistic mindset.

Employers of technical and trade workers still place the most emphasis on job-specific skills but across all job’s employability skills are the most important. Employers look for communication skills above all other skills, followed by organisational skills, writing, planning and detail orientation, teamwork and problem-solving. You will need to make sure you also have transferrable skills such as digital literacy, critical thinking and creativity. If you're choosing a career, MyFuture has collated a list of jobs that won't. Visit the website here for more information.

Students are encouraged to browse the National Skills Commission website and learn more about emerging occupations.     

Donna Mckinlay

Career Support

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