Short courses give jobseekers a chance to test out a new career
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DISPLACED workers considering training for a new career are being urged to enrol in short, taster courses to test their suitability for a different profession.
Microcredentials, certificate qualifications and other short courses, including non-accredited training, have increased in popularity during the coronavirus pandemic, in part because of the Federal Government’s Higher Education Relief Package, which has slashed the cost of selected qualifications.
Community College Gippsland chief executive Sue Geals says taster courses allow participants to get first-hand insights into what working in a particular profession involves.
CCG recently offered a free healthcare taster course that was so popular a second one was run to meet demand.
In the months leading up to the pandemic, it also offered a successful hospitality taster course.
“Taster courses are incredibly important – without them, you’re sort of going, ‘I think I like that career’ but you don’t really understand what you’re getting yourself into,’’ Geals says.
“Because they’re short, and they don’t cost a lot, it also encourages people to have a go.
“If people had to go straight into the full qualification, they might think, ‘I can’t do this’.
“In a taster program, you realise, ‘OK, actually I can do it. I am the right sort of person for that job’.’’
TAFE Queensland Brisbane general manager Dr Paul Wilson says it is important to recognise that taster courses provide an insight into a particular sector, rather than a specific job role.
He says while TAFE Queensland offers more than 400 qualifications, only a very small number are represented by microcredential courses.
“We simply can’t put on a microcredential or skillset (course) that covers the full breadth and depth of the huge range of offerings,’’ Wilson says.
“Any microcredential is going to be a very narrow taste (of a profession) but it would give people some sort of idea of whether they wanted to do it or not.’’
Courtney Campbell knew immediately after graduating from a public relations and marketing degree that she did not want a career in her area of study.
But after spending 16 years at school and university she was reluctant to commit to another lengthy qualification with no guarantee she would enjoy it.
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Instead, Campbell enrolled in an introductory baking course where she discovered a passion for what is now an incredibly rewarding career.
“Once I started the course, it was clear I was destined for a career in baking and I tried to use the time to learn as much as I could from my teachers,’’ says Campbell.
She continued on to complete a baking apprenticeship and is now a product specialist at Bakers Delight’s test kitchen.