The Importance of Informed Decision-Making:

Choosing the right career path and major to study is a crucial decision that impacts your future employability and success. In this guide, we will analyze up-to-date information from the Australian government’s National Skills Commission (NSC) to provide insights into the industries and occupations projected to experience growth in the coming years. By aligning your educational investments with the forecasted trends, you can minimize the risk and make informed decisions to optimize your career prospects.(selling point & align with SS ‘s core product/mission/vision)

General Employment Projections:

The NSC projects total employment in Australia to increase by 1,176,200 (9.1%) over the five years to November 2026. The long-term trend indicates a shift towards services-based industries and skilled occupations.

Industries with Strong Employment Growth:

• Health Care and Social Assistance: The primary provider of new jobs, expected to increase by 301,000 (15.8%) due to an ageing population, demand for healthcare, and the National Disability Insurance Scheme.

• Professional, Scientific and Technical Services: Projected to grow by 206,600 (16.8%) driven by the demand for qualified workers in various fields.

• Education and Training: Expected to increase by 149,600 (13.4%) as international students return and demand for education services grows.

• Accommodation and Food Services: Projected to pick up pace in its recovery from COVID-19, increasing by 112,400 (13.2%).

Occupations with Strong Growth: 

• Professionals: Employment projected to increase by 494,200 (14.7%), particularly in STEM occupations (14.2% growth).

• Community and Personal Service Workers: Employment projected to grow by 188,900 (13.5%), reflecting strong growth in service industries.

• Managers: Employment to grow by 163,700 (9.2%).

• Technicians and Trades Workers: Employment projected to grow by 108,600 (6.1%).

• Labourers: Employment projected to grow by 77,800 (6.9%).

Importance of Tertiary Education: 

Over 90% of new jobs are projected to require post-school qualifications, emphasizing the significance of tertiary education and skill development.

Skill Levels and Job Opportunities: 

• Skill Level 1 Occupations (Managers and Professionals): Account for over half of the projected total employment growth (52.6%). STEM occupations are expected to grow by 14.2%, well above the average.

• Skill Level 4 Occupations: Expected to grow by 252,600 (8.0%), making the second-largest contribution to total employment growth.

High-Growth Occupations: 

• Aged and Disabled Carers: Projected to grow by 74,900 (28.0%) due to Australia’s ageing population.

• Registered Nurses: Expected to grow by 40,400 (13.9%) in line with healthcare demand.

• Software and Application Programmers: Projected to grow by 42,200 (27.0%) due to demand for computing skills.

• Education Aides: Projected to grow by 17,600 (17.4%) in the education sector.

• Cafe and Restaurant Managers: Expected to grow by 17,500 (27.3%) in the food services industry.

Declining Occupations: 

• Secretaries: Expected to decline by 8,800 (19.6%), influenced by automation and global trends.

• Bank Workers: Projected to decline by 5,200 (17.6%), affected by changing banking practices.

Consideration for Highly Skilled Jobs: 

Employment growth is expected to be in highly skilled jobs, with Skill Level 1 occupations and Skill Level 4 occupations leading in percentage growth.

Conclusion:

Based on the NSC’s employment projections, we recommend focusing on careers in industries such as Health Care and Social Assistance, Professional, Scientific and Technical Services, Education and Training, and Accommodation and Food Services. Pursuing professions in STEM fields and high-growth occupations like Aged and Disabled Carers, Registered Nurses, and Software and Application Programmers can enhance your employability. Invest in tertiary education and develop skills that align with the 4 Cs (Care, Computing, Cognitive ability, and Communication) to excel in the job market and secure a prosperous future.

Note:

All the employment projections and industry data are based on NSC’s research and government reports as of November 2021. For the latest information, please refer to the original sources from the Australian government’s National Skills Commission.

Sources:

1. NSC’s five-year employment projections to November 2026.

2. 2021-22 MYEFO and Labour Force Survey employment data to November 2021.