Australia has created about 1 million new jobs over the last 5 years. Despite this, there are some industries that are more employable than others, while some are declining more than others. Hence, We will attempt to provide a brief rundown on Australia’s job industry. In order to help future students studying in Australia in choosing the right education pathway.
The Big Five
The top 5 biggest employing industry in Australia has garnered over 1 million jobs in each industry, and it is projected to continue growing:
1. Health Care & Social Assistance (1,663,900)
Boasting the largest and fastest growing industry in Australia, this sector includes jobs like registered nurses, aged and disabled carers, child carers, nursing support and personal care workers and receptionists.
Moreover, there is a shortage for nurses in Australia as a lot of nurses have to work overtime to cover shifts.
What to study?
The best route for this industry would be taking Nursing courses in either:
Diploma of Nursing (1.5 year):
- Qualifies you to be an enrolled nurse within many TAFE’s within Australia.
- Also allows a pathway towards being a registered nurse if you choose to further your studies.
Bachelor of Nursing (3 – 4 years):
- A course students must take to become a registered nurse in Australia.
Recommended Universities to Study Bachelor of Nursing
QS World University Ranking (2018) by Subject | City | University | Indicative Annual Course Fee (2018/2019) |
7th | Sydney | University of Technology Sydney (UTS) | AUD $34,540 |
15th | Sydney | The University of Sydney (USYD) | AUD $35,500 |
18th | Melbourne | Monash University | AUD $33,000 |
24th | Melbourne | Deakin University | AUD $32,600 |
27th | Melbourne | The University of Melbourne | AUD $31,424 |
2. Retail Trade (1,286,900)
As the manufacturing and wholesale Industry declines, the demand for retail trade skills have been at all time high, ranging from mechanical and fabrication engineers to labourers such as bricklayers and plumbers.
What to study?
We recommend studying Engineering to break into this industry, as it generally covers all the skills required in this industry, and you can also choose a major to specialise in.
Recommended Universities to Study Engineering
QS World University Ranking (2018) by Subject | City | University | Engineering Major | Indicative Annual Course Fee (2018/2019) |
2nd
| Perth | Curtin University | Mineral and Mining Engineering | AUD $34,000 |
12th | Sydney | UNSW | Civil and Structural Engineering | AUD $39,300 |
29th | Melbourne | Monash University | Chemical Engineering | AUD $38,900 |
34th | Melbourne | University of Melbourne | Electrical and Electronic | AUD $41,232 |
47th | Queensland | University of Queensland | Mechanical Engineering | AUD $38,432 |
3. Construction (1,167,200)
Technicians and trades workers account for 52% of the construction industry, which is a potential career pathway for engineering students as well.
What to study?
Other than Engineering, Architecture is a relevant course towards the industry of construction, Architecture degrees typically hold versatility in terms of the technicalities and design in construction.
Recommended Universities to Study Architecture/Built Environment
QS World University Ranking (2019) by Subject | City | University | Indicative Annual Course Fee (2018/2019) |
15th | Sydney | The University of Sydney (USYD) | AUD $40,000 |
17th | Melbourne | The University of Melbourne | AUD $32,784-$44,712 |
22nd | Melbourne | RMIT University | AUD $39,360 |
25th | Sydney | The University of New South Wales (UNSW) | AUD $41,280 |
51-100th | Perth | Curtin University | AUD $32,100 |
4. Professional, Scientific and Technical Services (1,033,000)
Within this large and diverse industry envelops a wide array of jobs such as people offering legal and accounting services, veterinary services, and computer system design.
Furthermore, the top five occupations in the industry are accountants, software and applications programmers, solicitors, graphic and web designers, and illustrators and advertising and marketing professionals.
What to study?
Studying business with a specific major may be a safe choice to break into the industry. Though any courses related to I.T is a way to pick up computing skills to keep up with the fast-tracked technological advancement in this era, and the market’s shift into the internet.
Nowadays, universities are proactive in updating their courses to teach students computing and software skills, from e-marketing to graphic design in business courses; or social media management in communication courses.
In this respect, the list we’re giving out below focuses primarily in I.T:
Recommended Universities to Study Information Technology
QS World University Ranking (2019) by Subject | City | University | Indicative Annual Course Fee (2018/2019) |
5th | Sydney | The University of Sydney (USYD) | AUD $46,500 |
6th | Melbourne | The University of Melbourne | AUD $39,628 |
28th | Sydney | The University of New South Wales (UNSW) | AUD $43,440 |
48th | Queensland | The University of Queensland | AUD $42,768 |
59th | Melbourne | Monash University | AUD $41,400 |
5. Education and Training (1,024,300)
Teaching is a stable career direction, in which primary school teacher dominates the industry as the top occupation. Other than being a teacher, training is considered a career dedicated to training people who have already started their careers with the goal of helping them perform better.
What to study?
Other than studying Education courses (which are compiled into a list below), this path typically leans towards teacher as an occupation.
Business degrees or Human Relations related courses are more suited for a professional training career. Click here to learn more about studying business in Australia.
Without further ado, the top 5 list of Australian Universities to study Education (Primary) are as follows. Please remember the list below is limited to one type of Education degree dedicated to primary school education, take time to think about what career path you want to take within the industry before choosing a major.
Recommended Universities to Study Education
QS World University Ranking (2019) by Subject | City | University | Indicative Annual Course Fee (2018/2019) |
12th | Sydney | The University of Sydney (USYD) | AUD $46,500 |
16th | Melbourne | Monash University | AUD $32,400 |
19th | Queensland | The University of Queensland | AUD $30,672 |
27th | Melbourne | Deakin University | AUD $28,000 |
51st – 100th | Perth | Curtin University | AUD $30,400 |
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About Post Author
Jude Chong
A content writer & a student of University of Nottingham studying Bachelor of Communications. I like indie bands and meeting new people 🙂
