Future jobs: how lifelong learning can turbocharge your career
By Alexandra Cain
Australia is experiencing a critical shortage of skilled workers across many industries, everything from nursing to cybersecurity, and one clear path to addressing this is to encourage people to take up flexible education, to re-train or move into a new role within the same sector.
“There are several industries and professions experiencing significant demand,” says Shane Little, managing director of enterprise solutions APAC at recruitment firm Hays.
Australia has a big skills deficit, opening up opportunities for well-credentialled graduates and lifelong learners.Credit: iStock
The top one is tech and IT, with high demand for cybersecurity experts, software developers, data scientists, AI specialists, IT infrastructure specialists and cloud computing engineers.
“The rapid growth of the tech industry, coupled with digital transformation across sectors, has created a shortage of skilled IT professionals. Cybersecurity, in particular, is in high demand due to increased cyber threats,” says Little.
There is also strong demand for civil engineers, project managers, construction workers and tradespeople.
Tech know-how tops skills demand
Biopharmaceutical company Telix is acutely aware of the talent shortage of people with the skills to operate highly technical machines. It operates in an area called nuclear medicine, with the nuclear medicine industry one of the fastest growing areas of STEM employment in Australia.
Its figures show demand for clinicians and specialists of all skill levels is set to grow by more than 10 per cent over the next several years. Jobs in the sector provide great opportunities for personal growth, continuing education and even international travel.
Meredith Crowe, senior vice-president of global people and culture at Telix Pharmaceuticals.
“As the technology becomes a key part of the fight against cancer, it will also be a major source of rewarding, high-paid, high-skill jobs for thousands of people over the next decade,” says Telix senior vice-president of global people and culture Meredith Crowe.
Another emerging area where there are likely to be skills gaps is renewable energy, where engineers, environmental scientists, sustainability consultants and solar panel installers are in demand.
“Australia’s transition to renewable energy sources such as solar, wind and hydrogen is driving demand for skilled professionals in this field,” says Little. “Government initiatives targeting net-zero emissions are accelerating growth in these areas.“
Little says industries where there are talent shortages can explore many different avenues to bring more people into their sector. Getting behind lifelong learning initiatives is a good start.
Learning to fill the gaps
Tracey Flynn, director of the Australian Graduate School of Management’s executive education and short courses at the UNSW Business School, has first-hand experience of the benefits of lifelong learning.
Tracey Flynn, director of the Australian Graduate School of Management’s executive education and short courses at the UNSW Business School.
She has already completed an MBA and is now furthering her skills by undertaking a psychology of coaching course. “I’m like many people who have well-established careers and who are looking to evolve their
skills and ensure they are relevant,” she says.
“Everyone’s jobs have changed and studying helps you keep up with these changes.“
Flynn says, for her, lifelong learning is about being able to continually adapt, evolve and advance your skills to achieve your aspirations.
“Lifelong learning is two-pronged. It’s for personal benefit, to develop your skills and evolve into a new area or advance the expertise in your current role. It’s also around evolving to meet challenges.“
A big part of lifelong learning is training people in technical roles to move into leadership roles, giving real opportunities for managers to develop their teams.
“There’s a lot of emphasis on AI and data, and we all need these skills. Then, there is a group of enduring skills that set you up for success in the future. Skills around empathy, emotional intelligence, strategic thinking and creative thinking.
“We do a lot of work with organisations and associations and their professional development
is aligned to those enduring, leadership skills.“
There is also the option of moving into areas where there are perennial workforce shortages. These include nursing, teaching and social work. “There will always be demand in these areas,” says Flynn.
The short and the long of study options
For mid-career professionals and people who may have done an undergraduate degree a number of years ago, there are opportunities to upskill or transfer across to new areas.
It’s one of the reasons why short courses and microcredentials are so popular. The beauty of starting with short courses is that they can add up to a bigger degree over time, such as an master of business administration (MBA).
“There are lots of choices and opportunities so people can explore what works best for them,” says Flynn. “I did an MBA and it wasn’t a massive commitment, but it was a really enjoyable experience.
“You’re learning and connecting with like-minded individuals and meeting new people in different industries. It gives you exposure to different thinking and ideas and an opportunity to expand your mind and your thinking.
“An MBA is a long-term learning experience and it might seem daunting if you haven’t studied for a while. That’s where short courses become attractive. You can start small and build up to a larger qualification.”
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