Preparing kids for the next generation of work

Have you ever asked your child or another young person the question: What do you want to be when you grow up? The workforce is evolving quickly, and there’s every chance their response may be a position you’ve never heard of before! Make sure you’re not out of touch when it comes to the next generation—here are five pieces of career advice to impart.

Have you ever asked your child or another young person the question: What do you want to be when you grow up? The workforce is evolving quickly, and there’s every chance their response may be a position you’ve never heard of before! 

Make sure you’re not out of touch when it comes to the next generation—here are five pieces of career advice to impart:

1. You don’t have to be an astronaut to work in space.

There’s plenty of opportunity in Australia’s growing space sector, which will rely on top-notch machinists, engineers, scientists and other professionals to reach new heights.

For instance, did you know that SPACE LAWYER is a real job? Space lawyers provide advice to ensure compliance with international laws and treaties.

2. This is the age of cyber.

If you think of ‘phishing’ as a recreational activity, or that Python is just a type of snake—think again. Each revolutionary wave of technology brings new security challenges, requiring a highly skilled workforce of cyber experts. Could your child be one of them?

3. Our creative industries just got hi-tech.

Creative minds and talents are highly valued in all sectors, and there are especially exciting careers to be had in app and games development, film production, virtual and augmented reality, and live events.

4. Healthcare heroes wanted.

The COVID-19 pandemic has shown us the value of skilled doctors, nurses and carers and new ways of delivering critical health services. There’s also heaps of potential to make a real impact in the medical research sector, discovering solutions to current health problems and delivering them to the people most in need.

Did you know that South Australia is home to some of the highest ranked medical researchers in the world?

5. There’s more than one way to kick career goals.

Employers have always advocated for the value of workplace experience, and our education sector has now caught up. Training options include flexible short courses, apprenticeships and traineeships, and industry-aligned university study.

To learn more about supporting a conversation with someone on their career, visit:

skills.sa.gov.au 

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