Choosing the right training and education option to assist your return to work
By Julie Farthing, AACC member
If you haven’t worked for a while, you might be feeling that you can’t possibly compete for positions against people who appear to be better qualified, more experienced or just plain smarter than you. Job advertisements that ask for recent experience and high level skills don’t help to reassure people who have not been in the workforce for some time.
Don’t despair. For many roles, employers say that when it comes to the final selection they will always employ someone who shows enthusiasm, motivation and a keenness to learn. But this doesn’t mean you shouldn’t give yourself the best possible chance of success. Take the initiative to do some learning to help you demonstrate these qualities.
We are all lifelong learners today, even if we have been in the same industry for a while. Jobs come and go, industries restructure and move off shore, leaving us with skills that are no longer relevant. Even lower skilled jobs seem to require us to have good literacy and numeracy skills, as well as the ability to use technology such as computers, sophisticated tools and automated machinery. Highly qualified people still have to update their knowledge and skills regularly.
In ensuring we have a skilled workforce that meets everyone’s needs, the training and education industry has boomed. Sometimes this makes it hard for us to decide what kind of training is best. You might not want to spend lots of money and years doing a university degree if a short course satisfies your needs, so it is important to do your research.
Employers, recruiters, employment consultants and career counsellors can all help you to work out which training and development programmes best fit your needs. If you are registered with a Job Network, your consultant can discuss options for funding training courses. Here are some general questions to help you begin your inquiries:
- What knowledge and skills do I already have?
- How can I demonstrate this knowledge and these skills?
- What are the minimum levels of training and education required for the kind of work I am seeking right now?
- How much time and money do I have to spend on education and training?
- How do I prefer to learn? (for example, reading and listening, practising new skills, or watching demonstrations)
Training and education programmes usually fit into one of these categories:
1) On-the-job training: Sometimes this is done in-house, perhaps as an induction programme, or it may be formalised, by undertaking one of the Australian Apprenticeship programmes. These are available to people of any age, lead to nationally recognised qualifications and there are no prerequisites. There are two kinds of apprenticeships, those in the more traditional trade areas go for up to four years, while those in the emerging (retail, tourism, property services, business and finance services, sports and recreation, etc.) industries are usually for one year. These are great options for people who want to get into a working role straight away. If you want to accelerate the process, you might take a six-month pre-apprenticeship programme at TAFE which will help you to qualify earlier. If you undertake an apprenticeship in one of the areas of skills shortage, you may be eligible to receive an incentive payment to boost your wages. Find out more about ‘Skills for the Future’ at http://www.australianapprenticeships.gov.au/skills/SMCA_Information_Sheet.pdf2)
Vocational courses: These can be anything from a week-long programme to two years or more, depending on the industry requirements. Most give you a nationally recognised certificate or diploma, and may be offered by TAFEs and Registered Training Organisations (RTOs), many of which are low cost and are designed to immediately equip you for work. For some courses you will need to enrol with a private provider, which may cost more. Shop around for the best deal.
3) Preparation courses: If you aren’t sure what course or job is best for you, or feel you need to develop your writing or number skills, you might benefit from a preparation for further study course, or a ‘taster’ that lets you sample some different courses.
4) Short courses: These help you to develop a particular skill. For example, if you were a bookkeeper you might update your résumé and skills by learning MYOB or Excel. If you need a licence, for example to drive a truck or forklift, you can complete a course and undertake your exam in just a few days.
5) Higher Education: If you want to work in a professional area you might need a Bachelor’s degree (3-4 years study – also called undergraduate study), or even a post graduate qualification. If you have had many years experience in a job, even if it is not recent, you might not need to do the undergraduate course first. Check with the professional association that covers your kind of work to make sure you undertake the right kind of formal training and work experience.
No matter which course or training type you choose, make sure you get as much hands-on experience as possible to back it up and apply what you are learning. This experience could be gained through work experience, volunteer roles, or part-time work.
References:
www.australianapprenticeships.gov.au
www.goingtouni.edu.au
www.jobguide.dest.gov.au
Information on TAFEs, Registered Training Organisations and short courses is available for each State/Territory and via industry websites.