Industries hiring right now

COVID-19 has changed the face of employment in our country – for the short term at least.

Although much of the news around employment is bleak, there are jobs available. Although this list is not exhaustive, let’s take a look at some of the industries thriving and hiring during this time and areas where you might find work.

Nannies, private educators

Most states and territories have now suggested that children should not attend school for all or part of Term 2, if it is possible for them to stay home. This means that many parents, whether they are working from home or working out of the home, require in home childcare options.

If you have any experience in childcare or education (and ideally a car and licence), you may be able to find work in private homes across Australia.

There are registered nanny agencies that you can apply to register with. Working with an agency will help you connect with vacancies in your local area and provide you with the necessary support in the job. Have a look at some of these as a starting point.

Babysits | Australian Nanny Agency | Dream Nannies | We Need a Nanny | Childcare Jobs | Babysitters Now | Find a Babysitter | My Super Nanny | Rockmybaby® Australia | GLK Nannies (ACT) | Essential Nanny (Qld) | Mini Nanny Agency (Qld) | Perth Nanny Network (WA)| Hessel Group (SA)

Educational tutors

Similar to the need for nannies, the need for tutors has exploded. With children learning from home, there is opportunities aplenty for providing tuition and learning support.

Unlike nannying, most tutors will now be working remotely, meaning you may be able to find work with students across Australia.

If you have expertise in a particular subject area, or a background in education along with an interest in helping children and teenagers succeed, consider tutoring.

Some agencies to investigate include:

Cluey Learning | Ezy Math Tutoring | Tutors Field | Tutor Finder | LearnPick | AirStudy | LearnMate | Kip McGrath | Australian Tutoring

Security guards

Even if your travels are now limited, you will have noticed a greater presence of security guards in your essential movements. To help manage the new world order, security guards are appearing everywhere. From supermarkets and bottle shops, to Big W and Bunnings through to hospitals, chemists and health clinics, many of our essential services are being protected by security.

Even before COVID-19, the 2019 Occupational Projections Report suggested security guards will see a 15% increase in the five years to May 2024, so this is a career with potential long term stability.

There is a training process and licence required, however even if you don’t have these yet, many security agencies provide support in attaining both. Try some of these employers to see if there are openings in your area.

V.I.P. 360 | MSS Security | Ozland Security | Wilson Group

Delivery drivers and logistics

More than ever Australians are looking for home delivery options. To avoid crowds and help flatten the curve, many of us are shopping from home and getting goods delivered.

This means that the demand for delivery drivers and logistics personnel is high. If you have experience in these areas, a truck or even a driver’s licence and willingness to drive, you may find work available.

Whether it be for large organisations like Australia Post or TNT or a local café or fruit shop offering home delivery for the first time, investigate what’s going in your area.

Australia Post | Couriers Please | TNT | Allied Express | Uber Eats

Supermarket staff

We’ve all come to appreciate our supermarket heroes – the ones making sure that stock is on the shelves wherever possible and helping us check out our goods while maintaining a safe social distance.

If you have experience in retail, stock management or just generally have an ability and willingness to get the job done, the major supermarkets are hiring.

If you’ve come from a more corporate background, there may even be opportunities in management and change management within the big supermarket chains, along with the local grocery stores like IGA, Foodworks, Spar, Harris Farm, Maloney’s Grocer and more.

Woolworths Careers | Coles Careers | Aldi Careers

Call centre workers

The need for customers service has not disappeared, but in some cases, the customer service role is changing from face-to-face to remote.

In addition, some companies that normally utilise offshore call centre staff in countries such as India and the Philippines are experiencing upheaval as COVID-19 wreaks havoc on workplaces in those countries.

These kinds of changes mean that many Australian-based call centres are looking to scale up.

If you have customer service experience and are savvy with computers and phone systems, you’ll be in good stead to land a call centre job.

Here are a few examples of groups hiring to get you started.

TSA | Datacom | Probe Group | Programmed | Stellar (Qld) | BSA 

Aged care

With families unable to visit, the nation’s elderly population need support more than ever.

A short course can open up the door to work in aged care, an industry with a predicted growth of 25% by 2024.

We offer the following relevant short courses that can help get you started:

CHC33015 Certificate III in Individual Support (Ageing)

CHC33015 Certificate III in Individual Support (Ageing) (Home and Community)

CHC33015 Certificate III in Individual Support (Disability)

In addition to care, there’s jobs available in other areas including cleaning, food preparation and laundry.

If you have a caring nature and a willingness to help some of the most vulnerable in our communities, consider working in aged care.

Try these big players or try contacting an aged care facility close to home.

Bupa Aged Care | Allity | Opal | Japara | Estia Health | Regis | Aveo | BlueCare (Qld) | Catholic Healthcare (NSW) | Presbyterian Aged Care (ACT, NSW) | Uniting AgeWell (VIC, Tas)  

Farmhands

For those outside or on the fringe of metro areas, many farms are looking for workers. Many farming roles are typically filled by international backpackers. With that pool of workers unavailable due to travel restrictions, there’s an opportunity for local workers to fill the void.

If you have a willingness and physical ability to get in and get the job done, you may be able to make a valuable contribution to Australia’s food supply chain.

Although as of May 2019 farming and forestry was an industry projected to grow only marginally (0.1%) in the five years to 2024 (see the report here), the pandemic has increased the value placed on maintaining strong supplies of Australian grown produce which may see the industry’s growth trajectory change for the better.

To find opportunities near you, consider searching online for farms in your area, and contacting them directly.

Cleaners

Never before have we been so focused on cleanliness. Stopping the spread of COVID-19 hinges on social distancing and hygiene. Cleaners are in demand like never before. Swathes of people are being hired to clean public transport, workplaces, hospitals, aged care facilities, child care centres, schools shopping centres, supermarkets and other places where people are still allowed to go.

Although it’s not traditionally been seen as glamorous work, Australians are now seeing the value of cleaners like never before. Consider joining this vital army sweeping across the country.

Spotless | AMC Commercial Cleaning | Academy Services | Corporate Cleaning Services | Compass Group (National) | Joss (NSW) | Cleanworks (QLD) | CleanNet Australia (eastern states) | Broadway Cleaning (WA) 

In some cases, you might find yourself looking at jobs that feel like a step backwards in your career, or require you taking a pay cut. This is never going to feel great.

In an article coming soon, we’ll investigate the pros and cons of taking a step back, particularly within the context of the current COVID-19 crisis.

In the meantime, we hope this list might inspire your job search, and ultimately land you in a role that works for you right now.