Whilst the global pandemic has certainly been a burden on our lives for the past two years, there is a silver lining for job seekers in Australia.
With ongoing border restrictions, working holiday visa holders and migrants are unable to fulfill job vacancies resulting in a skills shortage across the country.
Job seekers with the desired certifications have become hot commodities, with businesses so desperate to source the people in need, they are offering voucher and flight incentives to those in the UK.
New research has found the percentage of businesses that have reported at least one vacancy has almost doubled compared to the previous year, increasing from 11 per cent in February 2020 (pre-pandemic) to 20 per cent in August 2021.
Before the COVID-related worker shortage, getting noticed from the application pile on prospective employers' desks was a massive hurdle for jobseekers. However, the Great Resignation alongside the loss of visa workers has resulted in smaller contender pools and higher chances for recent graduates to land a dream job.
Yet, whilst there are more vacancies, having the required skills and certifications remains an undeniable necessity. Job seekers should be taking advantage of the pandemic pivot and acquire the desired skillsets to be the perfect candidate for potential employers.
Having studied and worked in HR, I know how intense and competitive the recruitment process can be. My biggest tip to those entering the workforce is to close your skills gap and develop an in-demand skillset. This will be a key factor in advancing your career.
While administrative and support services (29 per cent) and public administration and safety (29 per cent) are the most sought-after skills, technical services vacancies increased from nine per cent in February 2020 to 15 per cent in August of this year.
It is predicted Australia will need an additional 300,000 skilled ICT workers by 2025. In this climate, having the latest certifications in IT could be a golden ticket to launching a new career.
IT training and certifications are currently worth their weight in gold, particularly in software and security.
As one of the leading IT training organisations in the world, Koenig Solutions offers a free one-on-one session with an SME to determine the right course for a candidate. Having the appropriate knowledge and certification will help young professionals stand out among the crowd and upskill their way to a dream job.
- Chris Tzalabiras, HR and IT training specialist from Koenig Solutions.
