Source : Perth Now news
Boris Ryavkin is among a cohort of Australians choosing to head back to school.
In October, the IT worker will enter UNSW College to turn the first page on a bachelor of information technology, one of the institution’s new applied degrees.
The 22-year-old has weighed up his future and chosen to upskill, believing the three-year course mixing traditional class studies and practical, real-world learning will put him on the path to success as a software developer.
“(The degree for me) is actually more so about upgrading and having a pivot towards more of a technical role and more senior role,” Ryavkin told 7NEWS.com.au.
“I feel like with an applied degree there will be plenty of opportunities to be hands-on … and then apply it in my future career.”
‘Career Plan B’
New YouGov research commissioned by the college found 46 per cent of workers are unconvinced their original education pathway had prepared them for a contemporary workforce.
That rises to to 47 per cent for millennials and 50 per cent for Gen Z employees.
Ryavkin falls into the category of Australian upskillers, but there are plenty considering a complete career switch as technology and changing demands reshape industries.
More than 57 per cent of the 1000 Australians surveyed believe they will need a career “Plan B”, and 12 per cent have had one in mind for more than a year.
“We are living through a period of unprecedented change and understand how daunting it is for Australian workers to navigate their careers in this complex, uncertain environment,” UNSW College chief executive Sarah Lightfoot said.
“This is why it is absolutely critical that our education sector steps up to provide flexible pathways that give learners the skills they need to thrive today and long into the future.”
Of those surveyed, more than six in 10 believe they will have at least three careers during their lifetime.
Career coach Kate Richardson said there were many reasons why people might weigh up a switch.
“I think it’s in-part because we recognise that we have permission now to explore different careers — we don’t need to do the same thing throughout our life,” Richardson told 7NEWS.com.au.
“Sometimes there’s a desire to shake things up and do something different or find work that is a better fit with your current stage of life.
“But equally I think things do feel uncertain at the moment and that’s in part because of the changes in industry, because of the advent of AI and other technological change.
“That certainly helps people to reconsider what they’re doing, what the future looks like for that career and how they can ensure that they remain competitive, that they’re working in a career that’s going to provide not just fulfilment but security into the future.”
What Australians ‘worry’ about before making job leap
Richardson works with people from a range of backgrounds but said people “tend to worry about the same things” when it comes to a career move — will I have to start over, is it too late to make a change, what if I don’t have the skills, and how do I choose the right path?
“People often get stuck when they’re thinking about a career ‘Plan B’ and so I always encourage people to cultivate their explorer’s mindset,” she said.
“That means letting go of needing to have everything figured out, and instead just opening their minds to two or three different options and taking small steps to explore.
“One of the best things you can do is talk to people working in your area of interest or the industry that you’re curious about to better understand what it’s actually like, how does it fit with what you want.”
Richardson said finding ways to dip your toe into an industry can help too.
“That is about taking small steps to gain tangible practical experience or insight into a career without making a big commitment,” she said.
“That could be volunteering … or going along to a university information night or even a side project — anything that helps you gain a better understanding of what that career is actually like without making a big commitment because making a career change can feel quite daunting.”
UNSW said its first suite of applied degrees in business management, IT cyber defence and networking, and IT software development were co-designed with industry and built to support people at any stage of their career.
“This is a unique offering addressing head-on the ever increasing importance of real-world learning and experience to land a job,” Lightfoot said.
“These qualifications offer more entry points, and give graduates the skills to go straight into a career, switch or step up, and adapt over time.”
