Australians are increasingly turning to education to future-proof their careers, with a new survey revealing that nearly half of workers feel their original training left them unprepared for the modern workforce.
Boris Ryavkin, a 22-year-old IT worker, is among those heading back to school. In October, he will start a bachelor of information technology at UNSW College, one of the institution's new applied degrees that blend traditional study with practical, real-world learning. Ryavkin believes the three-year course will help him pivot toward a more technical and senior role as a software developer.
"(The degree for me) is actually more so about upgrading and having a pivot towards more of a technical role and more senior role," Ryavkin told 7NEWS.com.au. "I feel like with an applied degree there will be plenty of opportunities to be hands-on ... and then apply it in my future career."
Survey reveals workforce concerns
New YouGov research commissioned by UNSW College found that 46 per cent of workers are unconvinced their original education pathway prepared them for a contemporary workforce. This figure rises to 47 per cent for millennials and 50 per cent for Gen Z employees.
More than 57 per cent of the 1,000 Australians surveyed believe they will need a career "Plan B", and 12 per cent have had one in mind for over a year. Over six in ten respondents think they will have at least three careers during their lifetime.
"We are living through a period of unprecedented change and understand how daunting it is for Australian workers to navigate their careers in this complex, uncertain environment," UNSW College chief executive Sarah Lightfoot said. "This is why it is absolutely critical that our education sector steps up to provide flexible pathways that give learners the skills they need to thrive today and long into the future."
Why Australians are switching careers
Career coach Kate Richardson said there are many reasons why people consider a switch. "I think it's in-part because we recognise that we have permission now to explore different careers — we don't need to do the same thing throughout our life," she told 7NEWS.com.au.
"Sometimes there's a desire to shake things up and do something different or find work that is a better fit with your current stage of life. But equally I think things do feel uncertain at the moment and that's in part because of the changes in industry, because of the advent of AI and other technological change."
Richardson said people "tend to worry about the same things" when considering a career move, such as starting over, being too late to change, lacking skills, or choosing the right path. She encourages an "explorer's mindset" — opening up to two or three options and taking small steps to explore, like talking to people in the field or volunteering.
New applied degrees at UNSW
UNSW College's first suite of applied degrees in business management, IT cyber defence and networking, and IT software development were co-designed with industry. Lightfoot said the qualifications offer more entry points and give graduates the skills to go straight into a career, switch or step up, and adapt over time.
