5
The job market
Essential focus:
In this chapter we focus on job seeking. Of particular
interest are our options in the work environment as well as
the education and skills necessary to get a suitable job.
In this chapter you will
learn about:
• different types of employment
• changing patterns of work
• the benefits of education and training
for employment
• the range of jobs available
• the link between education and
employment
• job seeking skills
5.1
The workforce
Keywords
blue-collar worker A worker who performs manual labour in
return for a weekly wage rather than a salary.
casual employment Often temporary work that does
not offer the same level of protection as a permanent job;
deregulation The removal of government regulation from an
industry or a market with the aim of increasing efficiency and
improving competition.
employee A person working under the control or direction of
another, according to a contract of employment and in return
for a wage or salary.
employee entitlements Entitlements in addition to monetary
payment, in return for employment. These entitlements include
annual, sick, parental, bereavement and long-service leave.
employer A person or organisation who employs workers
under a contract of employment.
fringe benefits Employment benefits that are additional to a
salary or wage and legal entitlements.
full-time employment Permanent work that is about eight
hours a day, five days a week and 48 weeks of the year with
four weeks paid annual leave.
industrial relations The relationship between employers and
employees.
labour force The entire population over the age of 15 who
are available for work. Made up of both the employed and the
unemployed.
part-time employment Permanent employment where the
employee works a set number of weekly working hours, but
fewer hours than a full-time employee.
self-employed People who earn an income from their own
work or business.
unemployment Being without a job but able and willing
to work.
workforce flexibility The ability of employers and
employees to take advantage of different types of employment;
for example, full time, part time and casual.
workplace flexibility The ability of employers and
employees to negotiate flexible working hours, conditions, pay
and entitlements.
Types of employment
An employee is a person who works for a private
business, a government department or other organisation and is rewarded with a wage or salary. In Australia,
approximately 86 per cent of people who work are
employees. Employers are people or organisations who
hire others to work for them and pay them for their efforts.
Employers exercise some control over their workers and
are responsible for the payment of wages or salaries
and for providing a safe working environment. The selfemployed are people who operate their own businesses
and earn their income by selling goods and services
rather than working for another person or organisation
and receiving a salary or wage.
There are also those people who undertake voluntary and
unpaid work. Technically, these people are not considered
employed but they do make a valuable contribution to our
society. Unpaid work involves no monetary transaction
and covers work performed in the household and
community. Basically, there are two types of unpaid work.
One is unpaid household work (for example, cleaning,
shopping and child care) and unpaid work by persons in
a family business or on a farm. The second type of unpaid
work is volunteer and community work that is provided
free of charge. Examples of this kind of work are unpaid
aged care and volunteer work for charities.
unskilled work Work that lacks specialist training or ability
and generally involves simple, manual tasks that can be
learned in a short time.
white-collar worker A worker who is employed to do
non-manual work (such as in a professional, administrative,
technical or clerical position) and is paid a salary rather than a
wage. This term originates from the time when men were the
traditional holders of such positions and wore a suit, white shirt
and tie to work.
Figure 5.1a What job will best suit you?
102
Economics, Civics & Citizenship
Once employed, you may find you work full time, part
time or on a casual basis. The Australian Bureau of
Statistics (ABS) defines full-time employment as
working 35 hours or more per week. If fewer hours are
worked, the employment is considered to be part time.
It is an important factor in Australian industry, especially
as many part-time jobs are in the fast-growing services
sector. Many part-time workers receive the same benefits
as those received by full-time workers but on a prorata basis; that is, in proportion to the number of hours
worked.
Casual employment, although often thought of as the
same as part-time work, is different. A casual employee
is employed on a short-term or irregular basis and is not
entitled to either paid holiday leave or sick leave. Although
they are often entitled to a loading on top of the pay rate
received by a permanent worker. This is intended to
compensate for missing out on sick leave, holiday pay
and other benefits.
Australia has one of the highest levels of casual
employment in the world. Latest figures show that more
than a quarter of the workforce are casual workers.
Changing patterns of work
The majority of young people, as they move towards
the end of their education, can confidently look forward
to a role in the workforce for the next 30 to 40 years.
Unlike their parents or grandparents, they will probably
have more than one occupation or career during that
time. Because of the impact of technology it is now
predicted that an average worker in the twenty-first
century can expect to have four or five career changes
throughout his or her working life. In addition, a worker
may experience periods of full-time work, part-time work,
casual work, self-employment and perhaps even periods
of unemployment. Because of this, people must have
broad skills that will help them to adapt quickly to
changes in the workplace.
A few decades ago, employed people—particularly male
workers—typically worked in full-time wage and salary
jobs with regular working hours. They often expected
to remain in the same job for a long period of time. This
situation has changed, with the emergence of different
forms of employment and different working arrangements.
Over the last decade, there has been strong growth in
casual and part-time employment, and many people now
have flexible working hours or have a working pattern that
differs from the five-day working week.
Over recent decades the Australian labour force has
changed significantly. New technology has contributed to
this change. Other contributing factors are:
• the increasing numbers of women in the workforce
• sustained periods of relatively high unemployment
• the government’s restructuring of the economy, such
as reducing tariffs on imported goods, industrial
relations reforms (see Chapter 6) and changes to
standards and regulations in certain industries, for
example, the banking industry.
• the increased ability to sell our products globally due
to the internationalisation of product markets
• the adoption of new management strategies by
employers that emphasise workforce flexibility,
which often means increased use of part-time and
casual employees.
Changes within industry sectors
Figure 5.1b shows how employment by industry sector
has changed since 1901. Although the graph shows
three industry sectors, industries are commonly classified
into five sectors, as follows:
• primary—industries that exploit natural resources and
produce raw materials; for example, farming
• secondary—industries that process raw materials
and manufacture finished goods; for example, the
production of cars, food and clothes
• tertiary—industries that distribute goods and provide
services other than those provided by the quaternary
and quinary sectors (see below); for example,
supermarkets, hairdressing and travel agencies
• quaternary—industries that provide informationbased services; for example, teaching, journalism and
banking
• quinary—industries that provide household services; for example, carpet cleaning, child care and
restaurants.
In 1966, close to 40 per cent of Australian workers were
employed in the primary and secondary sectors. By 2001,
just 35 years later, that proportion had decreased to just
18 per cent. Employment has grown significantly in the
services sector, especially in the accommodation, cafes
and restaurants industry and the property and business
industry. The property and business industry includes
services such as property managers and developers; real
estate agents; and technical, computing, legal, accounting
and marketing services. Factors contributing to this
growth include the increase in part-time and casual work
and the increase in services that replace work previously
done in the home, such as child care, cleaning, gardening,
maintenance and food preparation. Another important
influence has been the recognition that many industries
within the services sector have the potential to earn
export income, that is, earn money by selling our services
to people or organisations outside Australia. For example,
over the last 10 years, Australia’s tourism and education
industries have been actively promoted overseas.
The job market
103
1921
Industry sector 1901
1947
1966
1984
Primary
16.8
Agriculture, forestry
and fishing
25.5
9.4
1.2
24.4
1.8
Secondary
Mining
Services*
2001
6.2
5.4
5.3
4.7
1.4
1.3
1.2
0.9
17.7
15.6
14.5
12.3
7.7
6.8
6.5
26.0
21.7
6.9
6.8
7.3
6.7
8.9
7.5
8.0
19.7
21.2
20.8
19.5
34.5
33.3
36.4
42.4
6.5
7.5
8.2
6.4
16.8
7.8
10.1
8.0
10.0
8.5
Transport and
communication
7.2
Wholesale and
retail trade
10.2
Community services
9.2
16.4
13.7
12.1
11.8
Contribution to total employment (%)
2.7
Construction
1992
28.0
7.4
Manufacturing
1990
21.9
14.3
Personal services
13.0
10.7
7.6
6.1
*The services sector is made up of the tertiary, quaternary and quinary sectors.
Size of workforce in 2001: 9 134 000
Figure 5.1b Changing structure of the Australian workforce, 1901–2001.
This has resulted in greater tourist dollars for Australia and
an increase in full fee paying foreign students, especially
tertiary students.
In addition to changes in the relative shares of people
employed in different industries, there have been
changes in the types of goods produced and how they
are produced. This has led to a shift in the sorts of jobs
that employers now offer. These jobs generally require
employees with a greater level of skill. Technology
has been one of the main reasons for these changes.
Computerisation, mechanisation and automation have
been introduced into the workplace. The result has been
a reduction in the demand for labour and creation of new
types of work.
All these broad patterns of industrial change have had
an effect on the jobs available today. This employment
shift has, in general, reduced the opportunities for bluecollar workers; for example, labourers, trades-people
and plant and machine operators. It has also increased
the opportunities for white-collar workers; for example,
managers and administrators, salespeople and personal
service workers. Employment growth has been greatest
in white-collar occupations. In the last 10 years, the
number of workers in white-collar jobs has increased by
about 1 million while the number in blue-collar jobs has
only increased by about 100 000.
104
Economics, Civics & Citizenship
Trends in types of employment
A comparison of Figures 5.1d, 5.1e and 5.1f shows
an interesting trend: total employment and part-time
employment have steadily increased since 1993 while,
in the same period, full-time employment has changed
relatively little.
Table 5.1a shows some interesting trends in part-time
and casual employment over the 11 years from 1992
to 2003. The percentage of part-time workers increased
by almost five per cent but the percentage of full-time
workers declined by over four per cent. In real terms this
means that 1.2 million more people were working parttime by 2003. The number of casual employees ie. those
who had no paid leave entitlements, also increased by
almost four per cent, from 16.9% to 20.4%
As a student, you may already have a part-time job or
know someone who works part time. It is not uncommon
for people to work in a number of part-time jobs in
any one week. The recent trend towards part-time
employment is a continuation of a longer-term trend and
is not unique to Australia. Most comparable countries
show a similar increase. The large increase in part-time
employment over the last decade has occurred at a time
of significant underlying changes in the economy and in
society more generally. Two main reasons for the changes
are the increases in:
• the demand for part-time labour
• the supply of part-time labour.
Number of persons employed full time
(millions)
7.8
7.4
7.0
6.6
6.2
5.8
1993
1995
1997
1999
2001
2003
2005
2001
2003
2005
Year
Figure 5.1e Full-time employment, 1993–2005.
Number of persons employed part time
(millions)
Number of persons employed (millions)
Figure 5.1c Charting the trends in employment.
10.0
9.5
9.0
8.5
8.0
1993
1995
1997
1999
2001
2003
2005
2.8
2.6
2.4
2.2
2.0
1.8
1993
1995
1997
1999
Year
Year
Figure 5.1d Total employment, 1993–2005.
Figure 5.1f Part-time employment, 1993–2005.
Table 5.1a Employed persons, type of employment by full-time/part-time status 1994 and 2004
Proportion of employed
Full-time
Part-time
%
%
Total
%
Total
‘000
1994
Total employed
Employees with paid leave entitlements
Employees without paid leave entitlements
Total
23.7
55.6
4.2
75.3
24
6.5
12.8
24.7
47.7
62.0
16.9
100.00
7,802
4,738.3
1,294.3
7636.7
Total employed
Employees with paid leave entitlements
Employees without paid leave entitlements
Total
23.4
50.2
6.1
70.9
28.4
9.3
14.3
29.1
51.8
59.5
20.4
100.0
9,560
5,593.9
1,912.8
9,396.5
2004
The job market
105
Table 5.1b Factors contributing to the increase
in part-time labour
Changes in demand
Changes in supply
The Australian economy has
been restructured and, in
particular, there has been
growth in the services sector.
It is interesting to note that 50
per cent of part-time workers
in 2001 were employed in
just three service industries:
property and business services,
health and community services
and retail trade. These same
industries accounted for only 31
per cent of full-time employment.
There has been a large increase
in the number of women seeking
part-time work. In 2001, women
aged 25–54 years accounted
for almost half of all part-time
workers (47 per cent). The main
reason for this may be that
part-time work allows women
to balance work and family
responsibilities.
The workplace has been
deregulated, leading to greater
workplace flexibility.
New technologies have been
introduced.
There has been an increase in
the number of young people
seeking part-time work. Parttime employment is used as
a source of short-term jobs
by young people (those aged
15–24 years) while participating
in full-time and part-time
education or as a stepping stone
to full-time work. Young workers
represented 29 per cent of total
part-time employment in 2001.
How the workplace has changed
•
Only a quarter of all new jobs created in the 1990s were
full-time jobs; casual and part-time jobs accounted for the
rest. Casual workers now make up nearly a quarter of the
workforce.
•
Seventy-four per cent of all permanent employees worked
full time in 1988, compared with just 61 per cent in 2002.
At the same time, the Australian labour force grew from
about 6 million to more than 8 million.
•
In some industries, including retail trade and hospitality,
nearly half the workforce is made up of casual employees.
•
Job losses have mainly occurred in industries with high
levels of full-time employment; job gains have been in
industries characterised by high levels of part-time work.
•
Since the late 1980s, 1.2 million jobs have been created
for women, compared with just 700 000 for men—but
half of the new female jobs were in low-skill, low-paid
occupations.
•
Those still in full-time work are putting in longer hours than
have been performed by full-time workers for a century.
•
Only 8 per cent of workers in permanent part-time jobs
have access to annual leave, sick leave, superannuation
and other basic entitlements.
•
Nearly a third of part-time workers want more hours. Those
who consider themselves underemployed are mainly those
women who are employed as casuals, aged under 30 and
in low-paid jobs.
•
More than a quarter of underemployed workers are in parttime jobs because they cannot find full-time work.
•
It is estimated that in 2005, 20 per cent of the Australian
workforce are hourly paid casuals, with a further 20 per
cent termed ‘contractors’. The percentage of hourly paid
casuals has doubled in almost 20 years.
1988
Full-time casual
6%
Part-time permanent
Part-time casual
7%
13%
Full-time
permanent
74%
2003
Full-time casual
9%
Part-time permanent
Part-time casual
Figure 5.1g More women are seeking part-time jobs.
106
Economics, Civics & Citizenship
11%
19%
Figure 5.1h Employment by job type.
Full-time
permanent
61%
What type of job is right for you?
To answer the question ‘What type of job is right for me?’,
you will need to be armed with the answers to a number
of other important questions. These might include:
• What type of job or area interests me?
• Is there a lot of demand for the area I’m interested in
working in?
• Do I have the required skills or qualifications for
the job?
• Do I work well with other people or better
with technology?
• Will I prefer working indoors or outdoors, in the city or
the country?
• What type of work best suits me—full-time, part-time
or casual?
• Should I start my own business?
In addition, there are the personal and social benefits of
working to consider. These include job satisfaction and
contributing to society by providing a good or service and
by paying taxes.
There are certain advantages and disadvantages to the
different types of employment available. A full-time job,
for example, provides you with a level of job security
that is not available with a casual job. Table 5.1c outlines
the advantages and disadvantages of different types of
employment.
Check your understanding
1
Distinguish between an employee and an employer.
2
What does being self-employed mean?
3
List the five different industry sectors and give an example
of a job in each sector.
4
Distinguish between part-time and casual employment.
5
What factors have contributed to the increase in part-time
and casual labour? Provide examples.
6
Outline the trends in employment that have occurred over
the last decade.
7
What factors need to be considered when you think about
your own employment future?
8
Outline the features of the workforce you will eventually
participate in.
Table 5.1c Advantages and disadvantages of different types of employment
Employment type
Advantages
Disadvantages
Full-time work
Job security
Hours may be long and rigid
Employee entitlements, such as annual, sick, longservice and parental leave
Possibility of fringe benefits, such as a car, bonuses
or profit sharing
Part-time work
Employee entitlements on a pro-rata basis
May not provide adequate income
Flexible working hours that may fit in better with family
commitments or lifestyle
Few senior management positions are part time
Opportunity to experience more than one job at a time or
pursue other interests; for example, study
Casual work
Readily available
Often unskilled work or using skills that can be
mastered quickly
Self-employed*
No employee entitlements, such as paid annual leave
or sick leave
Less job security; can be dismissed at any time
Usually for a designated time frame
May not provide adequate income
Paid a loading to compensate for not having leave
entitlements
May have to work on weekends and/or public
holidays
You are your own boss
Responsible for all business decisions
Determine your own salary and working conditions
Stress of creating and maintaining a successful
business
*For further information in relation to being self-employed refer to Chapter 7.
The job market
107
Integrate I.C.T
Career Quiz
Access the Australian Job Search website
<www.jobsearch.gov.au/careersearch.aspx>
1
2
Click on Job Outlook. Research 3 jobs that you may be
interested in and write a report comparing and contrasting
the main points made about these jobs. Indicate which job
is the most attractive on paper.
Take the Career Quiz. Which career is right for you
according to this quiz?
3
Which new apprenticeships are available in your area?
4
Explain what kind of information is provided by the Job
Explorer section.
Research casual employment
Use the Australian Bureau of Statistics website
<www.abs.gov.au> to investigate the changes that have
occurred in casual employment during the last 15 years.
Think and communicate
1
Refer to Figure 5.1b.
a
b Identify the service sector activities that have shown an
increase since 1901.
c
3
5
In small groups, create a poster to illustrate how
employment trends in Australia have changed in the last
few decades.
6
Think about your job prospects in terms of what type
of job (including employment type and industry sector)
would best suit you now and in the future. Then copy and
complete the following table.
Study Table 5.1a. Construct column graphs comparing
total employment, full-time employment and part-time
employment in 1991 and 2001.
Think about the different people listed below and what
type of employment (full-time, part-time or casual) would
best suit them. For each person, list the advantages and
disadvantages of the type of work you have chosen for
them.
a
Suits me
now
d married person with teenage children
4
e
part-time university student
f
person over 65 years of age who isn’t ready to retire
Refer to the box ‘How the workplace has changed’.
a
Study Figure 5.1h. Write a series of dot points
explaining the changes that have taken place in the
structure of the Australian workforce since 1988.
b Use the dot points and the other information in the box
to write a one-page report outlining how the Australian
workforce has changed since 1988.
108
Economics, Civics & Citizenship
Will suit me
in 40 years
time
7
Write an explanation as to why you are likely to have
more than one job over the next 30–40 years. Include
a discussion on the likely future trends in employment
(industry and employment type).
8
a
single person who likes to travel
single parent with young children
Will suit me
in 10–20
years time
Type of job
b married person with a mortgage and no children
c
How do these trends relate to your own knowledge of
the workforce?
d As a class, brainstorm possible reasons for these
trends.
Identify the service sector activities that have shown a
decrease since 1901.
d Write an explanation that describes and accounts for
the trends shown in the graph.
2
c
Describe the trends in agricultural and manufacturing
employment since 1901. Can you think of reasons why
each of these trends occurred?
In small groups, list 10 jobs: five that are
predominantly male dominated (for example,
mechanic) and five that are predominantly female
dominated (for example, teacher). In your groups,
discuss why these jobs are dominated by one
gender.
b Conduct a class debate on the topic: In the future,
changing employment patterns will mean that
employment stereotypes based on gender will no
longer exist.
5.2
The path to your career
Career Paths
Education outside school
These days there are many paths to follow to receive
an education and get the job that you want. Remember
however, that you are not locked into a particular path
for life. People, young and old, are accessing all kinds
of educational courses and institutions in large numbers
and the saying that ‘it is never too late’ definitely applies
to education.
Apprenticeships and traineeships
School certificates
VCE
The Victorian Certificate of Education
(VCE) is awarded on completion of
a set number of units at the end of
two years study of senior school
subjects. The choice of subjects
is yours but you must complete a
number of outcomes for each unit.
At the end of your VCE studies
you will be awarded an score.
Equivalent National Tertiary
Entrance Rank (ENTER)
which shows how you
scored in comparison to
other VCE students. The
ENTER score is used
for university entrance,
often in addition to
other selection tools
eg. interview, folio
of work, audition, etc. Each
university publishes the list
of scores that are required
for their courses.
VCAL
If you don’t want to do
the VCE you might like
to enroll for the Victorian
Certificate of Applied
Learning (VCAL). This
is a practical course
that will give you work
experience and prepare you to go to
TAFE or undertake an apprenticeship or
get a job.
You can go to work after you leave school and be trained in
skilled careers like plumbing, hairdressing, administration
by undertaking an apprenticeship or traineeship. As well
as gaining practical skills on the job, you will also need to
attend theory classes at TAFE or a similar training body
for a set time during your working year.
TAFE
You can go to TAFE after Year 10, Year 12 or
even while you are still at school. If you go to
TAFE full or part time when you finish school, you
can enrol in Certificate, Diploma and Advanced
Diploma courses in a huge range of vocationally
orientated subjects. You can use your Diploma
results to improve your university entrance score
further down the track if you wish. If you are
still at school, your TAFE study is called VET
(Vocational Education and Training) and usually
means that you go to TAFE one day a week or
you do TAFE subjects at school and get credit
for them which you can use later as part of your
resume.
University
University courses are undertaken after
Year 12 on either a full time or part time
basis. Courses are usually delivered by
lectures and tutorials and attendance may
only amount to a few hours per week.
However this is because students at
university are expected to be responsible
for their own learning and a lot of learning
is done by research and private study.
A bachelor’s degree usually takes three
to four years to complete and may be
followed by a postgraduate degree or
diploma to increase skills in certain areas.
Many people find employment after they
graduate with a bachelor’s degree. Some
students go on to an honours degree in
their chosen subject area and perhaps a
master’s degree or higher. It is important
to weigh up the benefits of staying on at
university when compared with having a job
and realizing that there is no ‘right’ decision
only a ‘right’ decision for yourself.
The job market
109
Think and communicate
1
Write a paragraph explaining why you would like to enrol
for VCE or VCAL in your senior years.
2
Write a paragraph comparing and contrasting TAFE,
university and apprenticeships.
Integrate I.C.T
Where next?
Access the website, Year 12 – what next?
<www.year12whatnext.gov.au/>. What sort of information is
available on this website? Write a short papragraph.
Benefits of education and training
for employment
Education and training for employment provide a range of
personal and social benefits.
Personal benefits
On a personal level, receiving a good education and/or
the right training will result in individual improvement and
greater personal satisfaction. It will also increase your
employment prospects. Government statistics show that
employment is highest among those with post school
qualifications (85 per cent) and lowest for those who
did not complete secondary school (66 per cent). Table
5.2a shows the link between education and employment
prospects.
Figure 5.2a A good education will increase your job prospects.
110
Economics, Civics & Citizenship
In most cases, being employed, or having a job, will
mean a regular income and an increase in your consumer
power. In addition, there may be a certain level of prestige
attached to your job or there may be fringe benefits, such
as a car, international travel and discounts on certain
products. Hopefully, you will have job satisfaction and the
sense of self worth that comes from being employed and
contributing to society.
Table 5.2a Educational attainment and
employment experience, 2004
Educational
attainment
Proportion
employed
(%)
Unemployment rate
(%)
6 to 12
months
unemployment (%)
Degree or
higher degree
88
3
9.5
Diploma
85
4.3
8.6
Skilled
vocational
86
3.8
32.8
Basic
vocational
79
8
25.8
Completed
secondary
school
75
6.6
15.8
Did not
complete
secondary
school
66
9
31.3
Benefits to society
Our society needs a well-educated and highly skilled
workforce; not only so we can continue to maintain the
high standards of living that we have achieved in the last
50 years but also to successfully compete on the global
stage. Many of the jobs being created require a greater
level of skill than is required of those that are disappearing.
The countries that want to prosper and stay ahead will be
those that make sure they have a highly educated and
skilled workforce that can use technology efficiently.
New technologies are constantly being developed
and existing technology is being updated and refined.
Workers need to be flexible and willing to be retrained to
keep up with technological developments and a changing
workforce. Education and training should not be seen as
short-term achievements that stop at the end of high
school or university. Rather, they are lifelong pursuits that
see 20, 30 and even 50-year-olds retraining, seeking
further qualifications and meeting new challenges in
relation to their employment. The people who are most
likely to find and keep a job, therefore, will be those
who are well educated, have skills and are flexible and
adaptable.
The government’s role in education
and training
Our government has taken many steps to help educate and
train people so they are more employable. At the school level,
for example, they encourage young people to stay on at
school and complete their final exams. In addition, they have
introduced vocational courses that allow Years 11 and 12
students to gain work-related skills.
The government has also set up various employment and
training schemes to assist people entering the workforce.
The following are just a few of these programs and initiatives:
•
Youth Training Initiative—This initiative targets 16–17year-olds who are unemployed. It assists young people
by providing a Youth Training Allowance and access to
vocational training.
•
Jobtrain—This program aims to help disadvantaged job
seekers to undertake short-term vocational courses at
TAFE while receiving a training allowance.
•
Jobstart—This initiative assists disadvantaged job seekers
to gain employment by giving wage subsidies to employers
(a government payment that covers part of the employee’s
wage). This is used as a financial incentive for employers to
hire disadvantaged unemployed people.
•
Skillshare—This program provides skills training and other
employment-related assistance, such as help with résumés
and letters of application. It targets those who have been
unemployed for a long time, perhaps because of their
ethnic or indigenous background or because of their age.
•
New Apprenticeship Access Program—This program
builds on the success of apprenticeships and traineeships.
It provides pre-vocational training, support and assistance
to help job seekers gain a new apprenticeship or other
form of employment. It may also assist them to return
to study.
How does this affect you?
Over the last decade, the proportion of employed people
with post-school qualifications has steadily increased
and now stands at approximately 50 per cent. At the
same time, the proportion of unemployed people with
post-school qualifications has increased to around 30
per cent.
Because of this overall increase in the proportion of the
workforce with post-school qualifications, you should
take some time to think about your attitude towards
education and training. Should you, for example,
continue your studies into Years 11 and 12 and beyond?
You should also be thinking about the subjects that you
might choose in the senior school and in the future, and
the jobs that may be of interest to you after you have
completed school.
If you try hard to develop skills while you are at school,
you will be confident of your ability to keep on developing
new skills as time goes by. You are also likely to be more
highly paid than an unskilled person. As a result you will
be in a stronger position as a consumer.
Australia will only prosper if it can compete successfully
with other countries. One of the most important factors
that will determine whether it can compete successfully
will be how skilled its workforce is. So, as an Australian
citizen, it is important to think about the benefits of
education and training and develop valuable skills.
Integrate I.C.T
More on government training and
employment schemes
The federal government’s Department of Employment and
Workplace Relations website <www.dewr.gov.au/> has further
information on government assistance in relation to training
and employment.
Figure 5.2b University is one of the options for school leavers.
The job market
111
Integrate I.C.T
Researching your career options
Activities
Select an occupation that you might consider as a career.
Then use the Job Guide website
<www.jobguide.dest.gov.au/> or Myfuture website
<www.myfuture.edu.au/> to answer the following questions:
Check your understanding
1
Outline the personal and social benefits of education and
training for employment.
2
Explain the link between education, training and
employment. Support your explanation by referring to the
information in Table 5.2a.
3
Outline the various employment and training schemes that
assist people entering the workforce.
4
Explain how the issues addressed in this section affect you
personally.
1
In which industry sector (see Figure 5.1b, page 104) is
your chosen job?
2
What are the chances of finding a job in this area?
3
What do you think the future employment prospects are
for this type of job?
Think and communicate
4
What qualifications are necessary?
1
5
What is the type of work involved in this job?
6
What is the current wage or salary?
7
Where can further information be found?
Copy the table below and then complete it by researching
the occupations listed. The areas where you might gain
skills include a current part-time job, specific school
subjects and extracurricular activities. (Hint: Refer to Job
Guide. Your careers counsellor or library should have
copies of this publication or go to the Job Guide website
<www.jobguide.dest.gov.au/>.
Occupation
Required
education
and
training
Additional
skills
Areas
where you
might gain
these skills
Motor mechanic
Sales assistant
Electrician
Lawyer
Accountant
Sales
representative
Computing
support
technician
Construction
worker
Hairdresser
Childcare worker
Teacher
Personal trainer
2
Figure 5.2c You need to carefully research your career options before
you make any decisions about your future.
112
Economics, Civics & Citizenship
Look in the employment section of a newspaper for a job
advertisement for your chosen career. Paste this in your
notebook. Think about the sort of school subjects and/or
other activities that might help in gaining the necessary
qualifications and skills for this job. Write these next to the
advertisement.
5.3
How to get the job
you want
Keywords
job description Required duties in the job
resume or curriculum vitae Details about a person including
education and work history
The application for this job (Figure 5.3b) would have to be
a formal written one such as a letter briefly outlining the
applicant’s interest and a curriculum vitae (CV) or resume.
A CV outlines an applicant’s personal and educational
details as well as any experience in the workplace. See
Figures 5.3c and 5.3d for an example of a job application
and CV for the above job.
Applying for a Job
Whether you attend a tertiary institution or not, at some
stage you will need to apply for a job. Job vacancies are
advertised in a variety of places such as Employment
National, newspapers, shop windows and the like. Some
job vacancy advertisements are very simple (Figure 5.3a).
Letter of application
Your Full Name,
Street Number and Name,
Suburb, state, postcode
Tel: Your phone numbers
dd/mm/yyyy
Mr/Ms Full Name,
Title,
Company Name,
Street Number and Name,
Suburb, state, postcode.
Dear (correct name of contact),
I wish to apply for the position of Call Centre Operator as
advertised in The Age on October 2005. The job reference number
is 123456.
Figure 5.3a A simple job vacancy advertisement.
In this case, you would walk into the shop and present
yourself as a candidate and you may have a quick interview
over the counter to determine if you have any experience
and you may be required to fill out some forms.
Call centre operator (Ref. no.123456)
An opportunity exists for an experienced inbound
call centre operator to join the customer service
team of a leading insurance company based in
South Melbourne. The successful applicant will
have good organizational and people skills and
a high standard of work. Some experience is
desirable although full company training
will be given.
I have enclosed my resume to provide you with details of my
experience and training. I have 6 months experience working in
a call centre and I am eager to make a permanent career in this
customer service field.
I would be very pleased to discuss my application further with you
at your convenience. Please contact me at the above address so
that I can provide you with any additional information you may
require.
Yours sincerely,
(signed)
Print Your Name
Figure 5.3c A sample of a formal letter of application.
Applications should be sent to John Smith :
Eco Insurance PO Box 459 South Melbourne Vic 3229
Figure 5.3b This advertisement would need a formal written application.
The job market
113
Resume
Company Description:
Insurance company specialising
in insurance for industry
Reporting To:
Call Centre Manager
Duties:
Answering inbound calls related
to taking out, renewing and
changing insurance policies,
making claims and general
enquiries
Computer Skills:
Microsoft Office 2003
Above average (Frequent Use)
Name:
Jane Candidate
Address:
25 Street Name St,
MySuburb 3186 Australia
Home Phone Number:
(03) 1234 5678
Mobile Phone Number:
0148 555 400
Fax Number:
(03) 9777 8888
Email:
[email protected]
Date of Birth:
29/02/1986
Nationality:
Australian
Career Objective:
To find a fulfilling career which
uses my many skills.
Referees
Languages:
French (Basic Speaking)
Academic:
Education:
Tertiary
Microsoft PowerPoint
Above Beginner (Intermittent Use)
Outer Eastern College of TAFE
2004 Full Time
Hobbies and Interests:
Employment History:
Position:
Dandenong High School
1998 – 2003
VCE Results:
English 35
General Mathematics 28
Biology 30
Business Management 38
Multimedia 36
November 2004 – present
Industrial Insurance
Peg Pope
Head of Business Department
Outer Eastern College of TAFE
Contact:
Phone: (03) 9966 5432
Email: [email protected]
Professional:
John Wade
Call Centre Manager
Industrial Insurance
Contact:
Phone: (03) 9912 1234
Email: [email protected]
Personal:
Doris Major
Manager
Friendly Bookshop
Contact:
Phone: (03) 9912 2222
Email: [email protected]
Certificate Of Office Techniques
School:
Horse riding, dancing
Call centre operator,
6 month contract.
Page 1
Page 2
Figure 5.3d A Sample CV or resume.
Before applying for a job, it is a good idea to contact
the organisation and ask for the job description of the
vacancy. A job description outlines all the details needed
for the job including the tasks to be performed, who you
are responsible for and answerable to and a range of
other information. This document will give you a better
understanding of the business, the position and the type
of work involved. It will also help you in formulating your
application letter so that your reply accurately details your
experience and interest in appropriate areas.
(see Figure 5.3f)
114
Economics, Civics & Citizenship
Figure 5.3e Call centre operator.
Job description
Call centre operator
Think and communicate
1
Rewrite the resume and the letter of application for the Call
Centre Operator position using your own details – use your
imagination about your own future to complete the task.
Illustrate how you have the personal requirements for the
call centre operator position.
2
Go through the job advertisements section in the
newspaper, for example The Age Employment Section
on Saturdays. Make a list of five jobs which you may wish
to apply for in the future.
3
Choose an advertisement for a job you may be interested
in, in the future. Write a letter of application and CV
assuming you are qualified for the position.
Duties:
•
answer incoming calls and assist customers in their
specific enquiries
•
create further interest in the company’s services by inviting
customers to use all services and products offered
•
provide a high level of personalised customer service
•
update databases with changes and status of each
customer or prospective customer
•
arrange the despatch of products, information kits or
brochures to clients and interested parties
•
follow-up client calls with clerical duties, including faxing,
filling out paperwork, doing credit reference checks and
liaising with other departments.
Personal Requirements:
•
pleasant and friendly manner
•
enjoy talking to people
•
aptitude for working with computers
•
high level of motivation
•
able to work as part of a team
•
able to work quickly and accurately.
Figure 5.3f Job description
Check your understanding
1
Define the following terms:
curriculum vitae / resume
job description
2
Outline the steps involved in applying for a job.
3
Explain the following terms from the job description:
despatch, credit reference checks, aptitude.
Integrate I.C.T
1
Access the website for Australian Job Search
<www.jobsearch.gov.au>. Click on ‘Job Seekers’ and then
‘Resume Builder’ and create your own resume.
2
Access the Seek website <www.seek.com.au> Click on
Career Resources, then Job Search Strategies. Read ‘My
first resume: a guide to starting out’ and note down the key
ideas in this article.
Figure 5.3g Most jobs require specialist training.
The job market
115
The job interview
During the interview
If you are asked to attend an interview it means that your
job application, or what you said over the telephone has
impressed the employer enough to want to meet you and
consider you for the job.
The interview may be conducted by a personnel or
recruitment officer, a manager or any person in a senior
position. Sometimes there may be a panel of two or three
interviewers.
Now you have a chance to convince the employer in
person that you are the best person for the job. Employers
look for people who have suitable qualifications and work
experience, who are keen to do their best, and who will
be able to get on with other employees.
Remember that there is likely to be a large number of
applicants and that you will have to present yourself
successfully in order to convince the employer that you
are the best person for the job.
The interview is also a time for you to see whether you
want to work for this organisation.
Preparing for the interview
As the interviewer will be comparing your skills and
abilities with those of others, it is essential that you
prepare so that you can present yourself successfully.
Careful preparation for the interview will also help you to
feel more confident.
Try the following:
• practice interviews with friends or family
• find out all you can about the organisation, its
products and services
• take your job application folder to the interview, as
well as a list of questions you may want to ask
• re-read your letter of application and the details of the
job advertisement, especially if it is some time since
you applied for the job
• re-read a copy of your resume as you will probably be
questioned on statements you have made.
Most interviewers realise that you will be nervous and will
make allowances for it. You can create a good impression
by being:
• punctual - be at least 10 minutes early. This will also
give you the chance to familiarise yourself with your
surroundings (which may help you relax). You may be
tense, so try using a relaxation technique that works
for you, such as deep breathing
• suitably dressed - wear your best work outfit. The
things to remember are cleanliness, simplicity and no
strong or ‘loud’ colours
• well prepared - take your job application folder to the
interview, as well as a list of questions you may want
to ask
• polite - have the right attitude whenever you speak
or answer questions. Remember to smile and shake
hands when you meet the person who will interview
you
• thoughtful - take time to think a question through and
then answer in a clear and logical way
• confident - ask the interviewer to repeat or explain a
question if you do not understand it
• calm - an interviewer may be aggressive in order to
test your ability to remain calm in a stressful situation.
If you feel that tension is spoiling your performance, then
the best way to relieve it may be to admit the problem: ‘I
am afraid I am feeling rather nervous and I am not really
doing justice to the questions you are asking me.’ This is
an honest admission that may improve the atmosphere
of the interview. Equally, a false note of sincerity can kill
your chances.
Figure 5.3h Be well prepared for a job interview.
116
Economics, Civics & Citizenship
Figure 5.3i Find out as much as you can about the organization that
you are applying to.
Questions employers might ask
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Why do you think you are suitable for this position?
Why would you like this job?
What qualifications do you have for this job?
Why have you applied for this job?
What are your strengths/weaknesses/faults?
Do you work well with others, as part of a team?
Are you willing to undertake more study?
Why do you think we should employ you?
What have you got to offer us?
What do you know about this organisation?
Are you a member of any clubs or organisations?
Integrate I.C.T
Access the Interview section, Job Seeker’s Workshop
<www.jobseekersworkshop.com/interviews/index.html>
Read each section carefully and do the activities. In groups
make a list of tips you have learnt from this website to share
with the rest of the class.
Think and communicate
Using your job application for the Call Centre Operator from
Think and communicate page 115, role play the job interview
in small groups.
Questions you might ask
a
An interviewer will often ask you at the end of the interview
if you have any questions. Be prepared. Asking questions
is one way of showing you are prepared and interested
in the job.
b The interviewers should discuss and make a note of the
questions they are going to ask.
c
The interviewee should work independently to prepare for
the interview.
After the role play discuss as a group what went right and
what went wrong in the role play.
Some of the things you might want to know about are:
•
more details about what the job actually involves, including
daily duties and hours of work
•
what the prospects are for advancement and training and
whether training is on the job or after hours
•
why the position is vacant
•
the pay, but do not overemphasise its importance - you
should appear more interested in the job than in the pay
•
the time it will take to notify applicants whether they have
been successful or not.
After your interview
At the end of the interview, thank the interviewers for their
time, by name if you can remember them. If the interview
results in a direct offer for the job and you are sure that the
job meets your needs, accept it. If you are unsure about
accepting the job and wish to discuss it with others, ask if
you could think it over and let them know the next day.
More often, you will not hear anything at this stage as the
interviewers will have to discuss the applicants and decide
on the best candidate. They may even conduct another
round of interviews with the final shortlist of candidates.
They will also check your references before notifying you
that you have been successful.
If you have not heard from an employer after a reasonable
time, it is a good idea to follow up and ask if they have
reached a decision. It shows you are still interested.
Figure 5.3j Clarify the requirements of the job at the interview.
The job market
117
Chapter review
Activity 1: research
Activity 3: job seeking
Look on the website of a university or TAFE in your area.
Find a course that you interests you and that you could
enrol in after year 12. Make notes about the name of the
course, the entry requirements and the content of the
course to report back to the class.
Access My Career <http//mycareer.com.au/>.
a Find a job that appeals to you.
b Write a letter of application and produce your
resume so that it is appropriate for this job.
c In groups, role play the interview for the job.
Students should take turns in the roles of
interviewers and interviewee.
d Review in groups what you have learnt about the
whole process of finding a job.
Activity 4: class debate
University education is a waste of time; trade
qualifications are more useful to get a job.
Activity 2: job interview
Activity 5: discussion
1 Make a checklist of all the things you must
remember before, during and after the interview.
1 Discuss the body language shown by the waiter in
the photo above.
2 Comment on this interviewee in the photo above:
does she look well presented; well prepared;
confident and pleasant?
2 Discuss and give reasons why this body language is
appropriate or inappropriate for a job interview.
118
Economics, Civics & Citizenship