Thinking of a career change? Here are some tips and options to consider

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Today's average worker could change careers several times in their lifetime. Credit: John Lamb/Getty Images

Australia Explained

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Looking to step into a new career? You're not the only one, the stats suggest. No matter your age, background or whether English is your first language, a career change at some point is almost inevitable nowadays. In Australia, support is available to help you through the process.

Key Points

There are face-to-face support options and government resources to help you navigate a career change.
Migrants can bring diverse talents to the workplace, but may also need to undergo further training or gain local experience for certain jobs.
AI competencies are highly valued in today’s labour market.

How common is it for Aussie workers to change jobs or careers?
What if I’m too old or too inexperienced to switch careers?
Where can I find information and advice on career change in Australia?
What are some current and future trends in Australia’s labour market?
How do I know it’s time to leave a career?

Venturing into a new career can be a daunting and stressful task.

But it can also open you up to new opportunities, experts say.

How common is it for Aussie workers to change jobs or careers?

Job mobility is not uncommon in Australia. According to the latest ABS data, over one million workers changed jobs in the period February 2024 to February 2025.

Despite lack of precise data on career change, a 2024 survey suggests that one in two Australian workers were willing to make the leap.

“Career change is absolutely becoming the norm,” career coach Alice Cheng says.

Has the term ‘portfolio career’ appeared on your LinkedIn feed? It’s when you have multiple jobs and revenue streams at the same time. Credit: Delmaine Donson/Getty Images

What if I’m too old or too inexperienced to switch careers?

Trying out a new profession may sound more intuitive for someone in their 20s, still building skills and finding their way in the world.

But people of all life stages are equipped to make the move if they want to, Ms Cheng says.

“In your 40s, this is where you get more confident with yourself knowing exactly what you want, what drains you, what energises you.

“In your 50s, as you’re heading towards the sunset in your career, it’s the time to decide whether you want to continue doing what you’re doing or live the next 10-15 years differently.”

Depending on the industry, new migrants in Australia may not have the local experience required in some roles.

But unless you’re learning a new trade altogether, think of any transferable skills and experience you bring with you, whether in paid or unpaid roles you have had.

“Think ‘what are my strengths?’, ‘what else can I bring compared to a local applicant?’ and then sell yourself on that resume, go to interviews with confidence… and don’t be afraid if you get a no,” Ms Cheng says.

And if you’re thinking your accent may be an issue, her advice is to just focus on claiming your new path.

I assure you from the hundreds of people I've coached who predominantly have English as a second language, they tend to think English is their barrier and it's all in their minds.
Alice Cheng

She says, most people have an accent in Australia nowadays.

People of all life stages are equipped to make a career move if they want to. Credit: sturti/Getty Images

Where can I find information and advice on career change in Australia?

For information and support on pathways to reskill, vocational education and industry job trends in your area, visit your state or territory’s dedicated government website

Australian Capital Territory

South Australia

You can also visit workforceaustralia.gov.au to use a Job Switch tool to help you find employment options that match your current skills and qualifications.

If you are aged 45 or over, check out the Career Transition Assistance program.

Some jurisdictions, like Victoria and Western Australia, have one-stop-shop centres for free career, training and employment assistance.

Craig Robertson is the Chief Executive Officer of the Victorian Skills Authority.

VSA runs several Skills and Jobs centres on TAFE campuses across the state.

“They are available to the general public,” Mr Robertson says.

“And because they operate in community, they have a good understanding of jobs in that particular region… and professional advisers who can give independent careers advice.”

If you’re seeking insights into the Australian labour market, Mr Robertson recommends using the online tools on yourcareer.gov.au.

“It's an online search engine where you can put in a lot of questions about areas that you think about changing your career to.”

It will feed back information such as:

what are the job prospects?
what are the wages outcomes?
what would be the courses that would most prepare you to be competitive for some of those jobs?

Staying at home during the COVID-19 pandemic made many reflect on whether their work aligned to their values, well-being and lifestyle goals. Source: Moment RF / Oscar Wong/Getty Images

What are some current and future trends in Australia’s labour market?

To become more competitive in Australia’s labour market by upskilling, consider getting trained in artificial intelligence.

“Industries are particularly looking for people with AI competencies,” Dr Caroline Knight, senior lecturer at the University of Queensland Business School, says.

Hybrid work is also here to stay, according to Dr Knight.

There's been a culture shift in terms of how technologies and security have improved so that we can work from home much more easily.
Dr Caroline Knight

Frontline workers of course are an exception.

“But in most industries, there are roles where potentially people can work from home,” Dr Knight says.

A constant sense of fatigue and losing interest in your work can be signs of burnout. Credit: Westend61/Getty Images

How do I know it’s time to leave a career?

Not everyone decides to change careers to pursue new challenges and rewards.

Some do so to escape a negative situation, a toxic work environment, or because of burnout.

Only you can assess if it’s the right time to move on, Dr Knight says.

Sometimes, it may be best to first have a conversation with your manager and discuss any issues you are facing.

“It’s a shame if you're driven out of a career that you would have loved, because you've got so burnt out you can't deal with that environment anymore.

“But if you feel like you just don't fit the job, then definitely it's a good idea to move.”

How to navigate Australia’s ICT workforce as a skilled migrant

Aged care jobs in Australia: how migrants are bridging gaps and building careers

Have you considered a career in translating and interpreting?

Subscribe to or follow the Australia Explained podcast for more valuable information and tips about settling into your new life in Australia.

Do you have any questions or topic ideas? Email australiaexplained@sbs.com.au

Transcript

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SBS acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of Country and their connections and continuous care for the skies, lands and waterways across Australia.

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You're listening to Australia Explained, an SBS audio podcast helping you navigate life in Australia.

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It's normal to rethink your working life. Some people are looking for new opportunities. Others want a job that better fits their skills, values or circumstances.

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Changing careers can be a daunting task, whether you're early in your working journey or have years of experience behind you.

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And you don't have to do it alone. There are organisations out there who can help you, universities, local councils, you've got government support as well as professional coaches out there who have been down your path.

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Welcome to Australia Explained. I'm your host, Melissa Compagnoni.

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Today we explore what a career change in Australia really involves, where to find reliable information, what support is available, and how to approach the process if English isn't your first language. We also hear from experts about where jobs are growing and what skills are in demand.

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If you're thinking it may be time to move in a new professional direction, you're not alone. A 2024 survey suggests that 1 in 2 Australian workers are in the same boat.

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For many people, changing careers is not about starting again, but about building on what they already know. That shift is something career coach Alice Cheng sees more often now.

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Career change is absolutely becoming the norm, and we saw that through the COVID pandemic because people were at home and really finding

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different way of life and maybe through that experience many realised that their work no longer aligned to their values, their wellbeing, their lifestyle goals.

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There's a common belief that changing careers is easier when you're young, but Ms Cheng says age and life stage are not barriers, and that people at all stages of life can make the move if they choose to.

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It's also true, she adds, that recent migrants in Australia may not have the years-long local experience required in some roles. That can affect confidence, but Ms Cheng says it's important to trust your skills and talent.

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So I say the first thing is sit down and really sell yourself. What am I good at? What are my strengths? What else can I bring compared to a local applicant? And then really go through selling yourself on that resume, going to interviews with confidence, and even if language might be your barrier. I think nowadays in Australia, I mean, everyone's got an accent, really. And so as long as people can understand you.

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And then obviously really work on your self-worth and don't be afraid. If you get a no, you've just got to keep going until you find that first step.

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Fear can sometimes hold people back, especially when a career change feels risky or uncertain. But a career change doesn't have to be a massive leap. You can do it gradually, Ms Cheng says, and there are ways to test a new direction before committing fully.

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Why not set up a side business or a passion project, explore what you like, build up some skill sets, if anything, and then once you're comfortable, you can perhaps transition into that full-time. And you don't have to do it alone will be my final tip. There are organisations out there who can help you, universities, local councils, you've got government support as well as professional coaches out there who have been down your path.

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Support is also available through government services. You can reach out to your state or territory's dedicated website for information and support on pathways to reskill, vocational education, and industry job trends in your area.

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Some jurisdictions like Victoria and Western Australia have one-stop shop centres for free career training and employment assistance. Craig Robertson is the chief executive officer of the Victorian Skills Authority, which runs several skills and job centres across the state.

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Despite being located on TAFE campuses, the centres are not only focused on vocational education, Mr Robertson explains.

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They are a service that's available to the general public, and because they operate in community, they have a good understanding of jobs that are in the particular region. They obviously have an understanding of vocational education pathways that can assist someone.

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But equally they also have professional careers advisors who can give that independent careers advice.

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Beyond face to face support, online tools can also help people plan their next step. There are government resources offering insights into the Australian labour market and tools to help you navigate the career change process. One option is the yourcareer.gov.au website.

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It allows you to explore new roles, understand skills gaps, and see what training may be required. Mr Robertson again.

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Mainly it's an online search engine where you really can put in a lot of questions about areas that you would like to think about changing your career to. It will feedback information like potentially what are the job prospects, what are the wages outcomes, and what would be the courses or units that would most prepare you to be competitive for some of those jobs.

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With automation transforming industries and workplace culture, upskilling is becoming increasingly important. Workers who stay updated with new technologies are highly sought after. If you feel ready to invest in new skills, it may be worth considering training in artificial intelligence through courses or certifications that align with your career goals.

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Dr Caroline Knight, senior lecturer at the University of Queensland Business School, explains.

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I think you know industries are particularly looking for people with AI competency. Workplaces are changing not just in terms of where, when and how it works, but all the different technologies are evolving very

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fast means younger generations will need to be very adaptable and have those competencies with using AI and different types of AI.

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Speaking of current and future job market trends, technology is also changing how and where people work, and hybrid work for many industries is here to stay.

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Dr Knight again.

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People are sort of expecting that flexibility now and they feel more able to ask for it because it feels like there's, there's been a culture shift in terms of, you know, now technology needs to have improved so that we can work from home much more easily. You know, security has improved in many ways in the platforms that we're using. So the option is there to work from home. We've had that, you know, natural experiment with COVID where everyone was working at home and actually things didn't fall apart.

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Obviously frontline workers are never going to be able to work from home, at least all the time, but in most industries there's still roles where potentially people can work from home.

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And before we wrap up, there's one more important point to consider. There are different reasons why people decide to change careers. Some do it to pursue new opportunities, better pay, or more fulfilling work.

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Others do it to escape a negative situation like a toxic work environment or because of burnout.

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If that's you, Dr Knight has a piece of advice you may find useful.

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So for people looking for a new career, that's a shame if you're sort of driven out of a career that potentially you would have loved because you've got so burnt out you can't deal with that environment anymore. I would always advocate, you know, if you are feeling overwhelmed to have, if you can, that initial discussion with a manager and say, hey, can we talk about this, you know, talk about some of the things that might be causing a problem. But if you feel like you don't fit the job, then definitely it's a good idea to move.

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Thanks for listening to this episode of Australia Explained, written and produced by Zoe Thomaidou and mixed by me, Melissa Compagnoni. Australia Explained managing editor is Roza Germian.

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This was an SBS audio podcast. For more Australia Explained stories, visit SBS.com.au/Australiaexplained.

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Subscribe or follow the Australia Explained podcast for more valuable information and tips about settling into your new life in Australia. Do you have any questions or topic ideas? Send us an email to australiaexplained at sbs.com.au.

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