You’ve probably heard about the Great Resignation: in America, millions of workers are quitting their jobs, spurred on by COVID-19-induced burnout and stagnant wages, among other triggers. But, while speculation is rife that Australia will follow suit, some experts believe that what we’ll experience here will be less Great Resignation and more Great Negotiation.
Driven by a dramatic skills shortage, countless industries – including retail, professional services, administration, and health – are facing cripplingly high vacancy rates. In June 2021, the ABS reported that 27 per cent of Australian businesses reported difficulty finding suitable staff, with 66 per cent of those businesses saying that applicants didn’t have the skills they were looking for. In November that same year, the ABS further reported 396,000 job vacancies – 169,000 more than at the start of the pandemic. Those vacancies are impacting every sector.
In large part, these shortages are being driven by border closures that have seen Australia’s skilled migration program grind to a halt. It’s a hugely challenging landscape for employers across all industries – but for local workers, it’s a dream come true. A glut of unfilled roles equals more negotiating power, upward pressure on wages, and the opportunity to demand better, more flexible working conditions as one of the perks of the job.
So, what does that mean for you? If you’ve been thinking about levelling up in your current field or taking the plunge into an entirely new sector, or if you’re already applying but struggling to secure the job of your dreams, it’s time for a skills audit: what sort of expertise do you need to take the leap into a new role? What do you need to continue progressing? According to the AFR, the current skills shortage looks set to stay throughout 2022, which means the time to invest in your own career development is right now.
The best bit? By enrolling in a short course or microcredential, you can get the skills you need – and fast. These work-oriented education and professional development opportunities deliver highly targeted learning experiences, giving you the chance to build specialist expertise in a relatively short period of time. What’s more, university-led short courses and microcredentials are created and delivered by people who are experts in their fields. That means the skills you gain will be relevant to your chosen profession and you’ll also acquire a credential from a recognised institution (which looks great on your resumé!).
There are countless stories out there of people who’ve turned the challenges of COVID into an unexpected career boost – so why not you? Whether you’re fascinated by artificial intelligence or data-driven legal practice, or you want to learn about building regulation, agile and lean methodologies, design thinking or project management, a microcredential or short course could be your steppingstone to an unexpected future.
Take the next step in your career with a microcredential or short course from UTS Open.
