Yahoo Finance LinkedIn reveals Australia’s 15 emerging jobs of 2021
Healthcare workers, real estate agents and e-commerce specialists are among some of the Australian workers experiencing higher demand off the back of the COVID-19 pandemic, new data has revealed.
The ‘care economy’, demand in transferable skills and acceleration of remote work have been identified by Linkedin as three major trends driving change in the Australian jobs landscape at the moment.
The Jobs on the Rise in 2021 report names the 15 jobs and industries that grew the most between April and October 2020 compared to the same period the year prior.
“As we move forward into 2021, workers and organisations want to know: What trends have we seen emerge from 2020, what jobs are on the rise, and what skills are needed to succeed in these roles?” the report said.
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One theme was common among most of the 15 identified roles: nearly all of the roles could be performed remotely.
Here are LinkedIn’s top ‘jobs on the rise’ for this year:
1. Mental health specialist
Mental health issues have become a major issue socially and politically, and have risen to the top of the Government’s agenda.
Top job titles: Mental Health Practitioner, Mental Health Specialist, Mental Health Counselor, and Psychologist.
Top skills: Psychotherapy, cognitive behavioural therapy, and psychological assessment.
Top locations: Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane
2. Nurse/medical frontline worker
Before the COVID-19 pandemic struck, Australia was already grappling with a shortage in the nursing industry.
“Incentives to see more people study nursing will likely see this trend for more frontline workers continue,” the LinkedIn report said.
Top job titles: Licensed Practical Nurse, Registered Nurse, Medical Doctor, Paramedic, Clinic Specialist
Top skills: Patient Safety, Medicine, Emergency Services, Basic Life Support (BLS)
Top locations: Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane
3. Social worker
Charities and these workers have had to work doubly hard during the pandemic as more Aussies needed support.
“Typically we think of a social worker as someone who helps people access support, but in truth the sector encompasses a range of roles – from people developing government services to community-based workers.”
Top job titles: Social Services Coordinator, Social Services Specialist, Youth Worker, Social Services Assistant, Social Worker
Top skills: Mental Health, Case Management, Child Welfare, Social Services, Youth Work
Top locations: Sydney, Melbourne, Perth
4. Healthcare, medical support workers
There are ample job opportunities for workers outside of traditional clinical roles, such as physiotherapists, occupational therapists, home aid workers, and more.
Top titles: Physical Therapist Assistant, Healthcare Assistant, Home Health Aide, Patient Services Coordinator, Occupational Therapist
Top skills: Nursing, Personal Care, Rehabilitation, Healthcare Management, Exercise Prescription
Top locations: Sydney, Melbourne, Perth
5. Construction workers
With the Morrison Government and state governments pouring billions of dollars into infrastructure projects across the country, workers in Australia’s third-largest sector will continue to be in demand for years.
Top titles: Construction Site Manager, Construction Estimator, Heavy Equipment Operator, Construction Worker, Forklift Operator
Top skills: Construction Estimating, Construction Site Management, Construction Safety, Forklift Operation, Heavy Equipment
Top locations: Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane
6. Customer service workers
Skilled workers in this sector are on the frontline of businesses that have been hit hard by the pandemic. Customer service specialists can also use their interpersonal and communication skills, which are transferable, to switch industries.
Top titles: Customer Service Consultant, Customer Assistant, Customer Support Specialist, Customer Contact Representative, Customer Service Specialist
Top skills: Customer Experience, Customer Satisfaction, Communication, Time Management
Top locations: Sydney, Melbourne, Perth
7. Professional, personal coaches
With the pandemic forcing workers to find new jobs, the role of recruiters has changed.
“Top skills for career development specialists are resume writing and recruiting, both of which are skills needed as recruiters.” Recruiters can use the skills they already have to help others find and succeed in new roles.
Top titles: Life Coach, Health Coach, Business Coach, Career Development Specialist, Leadership Coach
Top skills: Business Coaching, Wellness Coaching, Executive Coaching, Personal Development, Mentoring
Top locations: Sydney, Perth, Melbourne
8. Real estate specialists
COVID-19 has barely made a dent in Australia’s property sector, which is performing strongly. And with low interest rates here and remote work here to stay, Aussies are looking to move away from the CBD and first-home buyers are looking to get a foot in the door.
Top titles: Mortgage Broker, Real Estate Specialist, New Home Sales Specialist, Real Estate Agent
Top skills: Mortgage Lending, New Home Sales, Residential Real Estate, Investment Properties, Real Estate Transactions
Top locations: Perth, Sydney, Melbourne
9. E-commerce specialists
The rise of online shopping and e-commerce is one consumer trend accelerated by the lockdown, though brick-and-mortar stores suffered as a result.
“There are a range of roles in this sector, such as delivery roles, which don’t require formal qualifications, meaning there are a range of career entry points and pathways available,” the LinkedIn report said.
Top titles: Supply Chain Assistant, Warehouse Team Lead, Online Specialist, Ecommerce Coordinator Specialist, Treasurer
Top skills: Shopify, Social Media, Warehouse Operations, Inventory Management, Inventory Management
Top locations: Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane
10. Digital content freelancers
The demand for digital content will be “insatiable,” LinkedIn said. Posts by organisations/businesses sharply increased, and it’s not just written content that will do well; podcasting revenue is also on the rise.
Top titles: Podcaster, Blogger, Writer, Copywriter, Content Coordinator
Top skills: Copywriting, Social Media Marketing, Web Content Writing, Storytelling, Audio Editing
Top locations: Sydney, Melbourne, Canberra
11. Education workers
These essential workers are needed to teach children basic maths and reading skills as well as support their emotional and physical development.
Workers in this sector are expected to rise from 42,300 to 49,100 by 2024.
Top titles: Early Childhood Educator, School Principal
Top skills: Early Childhood Education, Early Childhood Development, Curriculum Development, Educational Leadership
Top locations: Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane
12. Financial services specialists
As one of the biggest drivers of Australia’s economy, roles in regulation and risk have seen growing demand since the Banking Royal Commission and consumers demand greater transparency.
Top titles: Anti-Money Laundering Analyst, Risk Analyst, Equity Trader, Tax Consultant, Financial Consultant
Top skills: Financial Crimes Investigations, Foreign Exchange (FX) Trading, Financial Analysis, Risk Management, Income Tax
Top locations: Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane
13. Social media/digital marketing specialists
With many brands no longer able to interact with customers in person, social media and marketing experts are needed to engage with consumers and deliver products through the right channels.
Top titles: Growth Hacker, Content Designer, Search Engine Optimization Specialist, Social Media Marketing Manager, Growth Specialist
Top skills: User Experience (UX), Growth Strategies, Social Media Marketing, Search Engine Optimisation (SEO), Influencer Marketing
Top locations: Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane
14. Specialised engineering roles
Engineers have been in demand for years, and this trend is expected to continue.
“Industries are continuing to adopt new technologies, and this continues to drive demand for specialised engineering roles - from those who can drill down into data and find new insights, to people able to deliver functional websites and keep them online.”
Top titles: Back End Developer, Web Developer, Head Of Engineering, Data Manager
Top skills: Node.js, Amazon Web Services (AWS), Data Management, Engineering Management, JavaScript
Top locations: Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane
15. Cyber security specialists
Specialists in this field will only grow in demand as scams and cyber security threats become more sophisticated, and governments and businesses spend more on security and data protection as a result.
“From developing software to rebuff phishing, viruses and hackers, to tracking digital incursions, those working in cyber security roles offer a range of services to keep out cyber criminals.”
Top titles: Cyber Security Analyst, Cyber Security Specialist
Top skills: Security Information and Event Management (SIEM), Information Security, Network Security,
Machine Learning
Top locations: Sydney, Melbourne, Canberra
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