It's 2022! It’s a new year, those resolutions have been set and you might be thinking it’s time for a change. There are some industries in Australia expected to see some big growth, so now’s the time to jump on the trends and kick-start your career. The Department of Employment, Skills, Small and Family Business as well as the National Skills Commission has given us some insight into where we’ll see some emerging skills and occupations.
Healthcare and social assistance
It’s no surprise with the arrival of a global pandemic the need for health care has increased. This is Australia's largest and fastest growing industry, employing over 1.5 million people including hospitals, GPs, dental and ambulance services. The industry is expected to grow by 252,600 jobs (or 15 per cent) by 20241.
Studying a degree in health will see you graduate with the skills and knowledge to help address some of the world’s most challenging healthcare issues.
Postgraduate courses to get into the industry:
Master of Public Health – interested in the bigger picture when it comes to health? Explore epidemiology, biostatistics, qualitative research methods, health economics and health promotion to transform the health of whole communities.
Master of Pharmacy – for picking up pain killers or getting a vaccine, we’re all going to be visiting pharmacies a lot in our lifetime! Study pharmacy practice, clinical pharmacy, pharmaceutics, medicinal chemistry, pharmacotherapy and health systems, with practical training.
Master of Infectious Diseases – it doesn’t get more on-trend than this! Position yourself as leader in this ever evolving field with the expertise to accurately identify pathogens and develop policies for the prevention and immunity of infectious diseases.
Professional, scientific and technical services
This is a large and varied industry, with over one million workers. It covers a range of jobs, like legal and accounting services, veterinary services and computer system design. Employment is projected to increase by 172,400 (or 15.1 per cent) by 20241.
Postgraduate courses to get into the industry:
Master of Professional Accounting – a career as an accountant can take you to any industry, anywhere in the world! Combine your passion with numbers, problem solving and critical thinking.
Master of Information Technology (IT) – tech really is transforming our lives, so be a part of it! You’ll master contemporary and emerging technologies, including cloud and high-performance computing, agile web development and software project design and management.
A big emerging occupation on the list for this industry – Data Scientists. From 2015 to 2019 the amount of data scientists in Australia grew from 450 to 3,210 and the numbers are still on the rise2. Data Scientists find, manage and interpret rich data sources – it’s a specialised skill which is why around 89% of people in data science roles have a bachelor degree or higher qualification2.
Master of Data Science – whatever industry you’re in, take your career to the next level by mastering big data to data and your skills in analytical methodologies to transform the way an organisation achieves its objectives in this truly booming
Master of Business Analytics – stand out and get ahead with the analytical skills deliver meaning from complex data sets and apply these insights to lead organisations to better ways of working.
Education and training
As most jobs in the future will require education and training or a university qualification, there is a need for teaching across all levels of schools, as well as University Lecturers and Tutors3.
Employment in the Education and Training industry is projected to increase by 129,300 (or 12.2 per cent) supported by increases in the school aged population and growing demand for adult and community education1.
Postgraduate courses to get into the industry:
Master of Teaching (Primary) – lay the early foundations for lifelong learning as a primary school teacher. This course will give you a comprehensive understanding of childhood development and learning.
Master of Teaching (Secondary) – gain the in-depth knowledge of the theory and the practical skills to become a secondary school teacher and shape the lives of young people. What could be a better contribution to tomorrow?!
1The Department of Employment, Skills, Small and Family Business, Employment Outlook to May 2024
2National Skills Commission, Labour market insights, 2022
3joboutlook.gov.au, 2022
