Even before the pandemic, regional jobs were changing, but COVID has only served to highlight how flexible, entrepreneurial and dynamic the future of business and careers will need to be.
A 2019 report by the Regional Australia Institute (RAI), The Future of Regional Jobs, suggests that “the waves of job change washing over the whole country are making a splash in the regions too.”
According to the report, the nine-year-old’s of today will need a mix of both technical and soft personal skills for success in the 2030 job market; as the in-demand jobs will be a mix of high tech, high touch and high care.
In addition, the report suggests: “This new context raises new areas of potential for regional job growth. Growing digitisation means that new jobs do not have to be housed in big city office blocks, they can occur where people want to live and work. This flexibility of location means future jobs can be anywhere …”
Bendigo is well-placed to see growth given its location, not too far from Melbourne and it’s vibrant social and cultural offering. The City of Greater Bendigo is proactive in planning for the future and so there is no reason why it won’t see more businesses relocating or starting up in the region, making it an even more eclectic and interesting place to live.
Although, the RAI report does caution that success will depend on how prepared the future generations are to fill the new roles that are emerging: “A more digital world means that future jobs will need more high technology digital skills, as well as entrepreneurial training to make the most of opportunities. In addition to these technical skills, jobs of the future will require soft skills in communication, collaboration, creativity and problem solving.”
“At ESE Consulting, we are excited to be part of the change and to contribute to helping people find jobs in the future that don’t yet exist today,” says Katie Johnson, Founding Director of ESE.
Read the full report here: The Future of Regional Jobs