POLICY & REFORM
campusreview.com.au
requirement. The head of Penguin Random House in the UK
talked recently about the growing evidence that there is no simple
correlation between having a degree and future professional success.
So universities need to acknowledge that employers’ hiring
practices are changing. They need to forge relationships with
employers and make sure there is this transition of people
from education to the workforce, but also make sure they’re
training in areas the Australian economy needs. Let’s not train
for what’s popular. Let’s train for what’s needed and where the
jobs are.
How can we raise awareness of alternative pathways to education
and employment?
A recent survey from Infosys showed that many young people are
pessimistic about their future job prospects. Could that be leading
to this gap?
It’s tied to the need for education systems to close the skills gap.
We have employers who are reporting they can’t find people with
the skills they need, so [the key question is] what are the skills
employers need?
What employers tell me, universally, is they need real-world
workplace skills. A lot of people are not going to be able to acquire
that in a traditional classroom, and that’s why opportunities such
as apprenticeships, traineeships, vocational-based education
and online learning offer opportunities for people to try career
opportunities before jumping in with both feet or taking on
expensive four-year university studies only to realise there are no
jobs or [the field is] not what makes that person passionate.
Do people developing curriculums need to work more with people
from industries so they can cater to what industry needs?
Absolutely. Australia has always been recognised as having highquality education and training. Learning programs should be based
on the Australian Curriculum and qualification framework but
we need to order it in a way that achieves the best outcomes for
students. Much of it has got to do with how it’s delivered.
How do universities and vocational educators need to adjust?
Many universities are realising that people are being employed in
different ways. There has been much media [coverage] the last
couple of weeks about the changing needs of employers.
People often ask me if university is worth it. Well to get a job
at Google, for example, a university degree is not necessarily a
We need to get the word out that alternative pathways are OK.
There’s a real status quo in Australian education, particularly in high
schools, where a lot of careers teachers or careers counsellors are
still part-time. Some are working as maybe the gym teacher or the
PE teacher and they offer career advice on a Tuesday and Thursday
afternoon, so it’s not their fault.
The system is set up to be this super highway to a university. But
students should be given the opportunity to see what’s out there or
what opportunities are available.
We need to bring back work experience. We need to push past
insurers who say it’s challenging to have people going to the
workplace anymore [because of safety concerns]. We just have to
fight back and say, ‘Well I’m sorry, the only way for people to find
out what it’s like to work in a lot of occupations is to work in the
occupations, or at least get experience.’
This goes not only for young people. If people [reading this]
need or want career changes, there are opportunities for people to
boost and freshen up their skills, no matter where they are in their
career journey.
You mentioned insurers. How are they impeding things?
Insurers are terrible for business in Australia. When I was at high
school, it was possible to go and do work experience. But so many
employers now say: ‘We don’t do work experience programs
because our insurance won’t allow us.’
At best, students go stand behind a yellow line and someone
says: ‘See over there in the distance? They’re actually doing this
occupation that we’re talking about.’
We need to make it much easier for school students to go
into the workplace. Occupational health and safety are of
prime importance, but there’s a way to get people back into the
workplaces so they understand what’s going on.
What could this way be?
In my ideal workforce scenario or education scenario, we’d have
strong partnerships. There’d be an opportunity for people to
experience what it’s like to work in industries. Websites are great
but you’ve got to consider whether the source of information is
credible; here is nothing like getting out and going to a workplace.
People are often asking me about career advice and job tips and
how you do it. One of the best ways is face-to-face interaction
with employers. There is nothing like it. People need to network,
become an expert in the industry they want to work in. They need
to know that practice makes perfect; people often get knocked
back with jobs and then pretty much give up. You’ve just got to
practise with friends and relentlessly follow up. ■
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