With the seismic shifts happening in the job market from AI and other technologies, students are facing an increased level of career anxiety. The Victorian government called a recent inquiry. It underscores the tremendous need for stronger career navigation, even as industries including health care, construction, and agriculture leaders anticipate needing 1.4 million new workers by 2034. This growing concern is underscored by voices from academia and students alike, revealing a landscape where young people feel increasingly unprepared for employment.
Andreas Cebulla, an Associate Professor at Flinders University, believes that young people possess the ability to adapt to these workforce changes. He focuses a lot on the need for rigorous career pathways starting in as early as year seven all the way through year twelve. Such programs go a long way towards helping students make sense of their future options. They increase students’ preparation for the labor market.
Widespread Career Anxiety
Matilda Ryan, a student who recently enrolled in a Bachelor of Psychology at RMIT, conducted 16 qualitative surveys with peers from the Warrnambool area. Through a comprehensive review, her findings show that career anxiety is a common experience among young adults. Overall, too many respondents complained about the career services that currently exist, calling them unimaginative and unrelatable.
“Most said that the career counsellor set-ups they had at school were not effective or relatable, or meaningful.” – Matilda Ryan
Ryan admitted that her own journey is indicative of this trend. Having spent seven years in a high school with some 1,200 students. In that span, she perhaps had one fifteen-minute discussion with a career counsellor in her 10th year. This isolation from academic support officers has left too many students feeling lost and with their futures in flux.
Xanthe’s journey into climate action began when she signed up to an arts degree at La Trobe University. She said she now feels lost about where her education is heading. She ended up dropping out, just two weeks into the program. The push to reach a decision without the proper direction proved too great for her.
“You have to make a decision so early, and you have no idea if it’s the right one or not.” – Xanthe Stuckey
Stuckey went on to a more practical degree — health care. She considers her change in focus a more intentional investment in her future career. Her speech highlights the rising point of students’ pressure to attain stable, promising jobs in a deeply unstable job market.
The Changing Nature of Work
The Victorian parliamentary inquiry currently underway. It specifically seeks to identify how schools can more effectively equip students to make better informed decisions about their career paths. Jodie Howlett, a career practitioner at Loreto College, Ballarat, addresses how the job market is constantly evolving. She underscores the importance of being nimble in this ever-shifting environment. She advocates for dedicated time within school curricula for career exploration, stressing that simply showcasing potential pathways is insufficient without structured support.
“You can show the students [career pathways], and that’s all well and good, but they actually need designated time; otherwise they won’t look at it.” – Jodie Howlett
Here’s what both Cebulla and Howlett have to say about why well-designed career programs could help put an end to some of that worry for students. Cebulla pointed out that throughout history, the job market has always changed, and adapting to these shifts is crucial for future generations.
Shaanan Cohney, a noted critic of these trends, made the case for equipping students with the fine motor skills these careers require. Humanim CEO does not think these roles will be replaced, even as AI technology capabilities grow.
“Jobs with fine motor skills aren’t going anywhere for the foreseeable future.” – Shaanan Cohney
The Role of Schools in Career Preparation
Now, more than ever, experts demand that schools help lead students down paths that lead to high-demand and high-paying careers. Howlett stressed the need for more robust career tracks. These programs, from year seven through year twelve, will establish a nurturing environment for students that will encourage them to discover their choices.
“Schools having actual career programs from year seven through to year twelve would be amazing.” – Jodie Howlett
Students like Ryan and Stuckey are figuring out what their new hybrid educational experience looks like. We need to look at the way we operate and definitely stop these deaths from happening. The ongoing inquiry into career decision-making aims to bridge the gap between student aspirations and the realities of the job market.
