Published: 10th September 2019.
Written by Melinda Irvine
Don’t waste the opportunity to use your years of work experience and technical know-how — there are plenty of job roles for motivated and savvy seniors who are willing to roll up their sleeves. Here are a few suggestions.
Vocational Trainer
2020 is really just the beginning of the Knowledge and Information Age — and Registered Training Organisations (RTOs) are always looking for quality instructors and trainers with technical knowledge in specific jobs roles.
Whatever your career background, you could be educating the next generation of workers in your employment sector or industry group. Horticulture, Hospitality, Customer Service, Finance, Construction, Work Health and Safety, Nursing, Massage, Writing, Farming, Floristry and so many more industries could benefit from your experience.
You could get started as a vocational trainer with a Certificate IV in Training and Assessment and quickly find yourself:
- Inspiring students during face-to-face classroom sessions.
- Assessing the competence level of apprentices at their workplace.
- Explaining the finer points of your craft on a training video.
Group Tour Leader
All those years you promised yourself that trip to Europe, Japan, or Australia’s Top End — why not consider becoming a paid group tour leader. Professional tour companies are always looking for retired teachers, art or culinary specialists, and history buffs who can lead tours in the arts, archeology, history, cooking and culture. Why not consider a Certificate III in Guiding?
Retail Service
While the Millennials and iGenners are on their smart devices choosing an Instagram filter, you could be out on the sales floor nailing those turnover commissions. Customers like retail assistants who know where everything is in the shop, are intuitive to their needs, and can explain the features and benefits of the products they are considering. With a genuine smile, initiative, and a confident presence you could see a very rewarding career in retail. A Certificate III in Retail could help you sharpen these skills.
Hotel Receptionist
Age is irrelevant for a role as a hotel receptionist. What matters most to hotel or resort guests is getting the exact room or package they paid for — and for the reception staff to be ready to listen (and respond quickly) to their needs.
Mention in the interview your active listening skills, your knack for getting to know all the facilities of the hotel (including the menu) and your ability to accurately record phone messages and update booking alterations without a fuss. A Certificate III in Hospitality, will also help.
Medical Administration
Seniors with a strong medical background — eg, who previously worked as nurses, paramedics, or midwives — are highly valued medical administration workers at private practices and public clinics.
Having years of hands-on experience dealing with medication, records, pharmaceutical companies, and testing labs is highly valued. Plus you have the maturity and composure to quickly recognise and help patients in distress. A Certificate III in Business Administration may be what you need to get your foot in the door.
Personal Care
Many seniors who have spent years working in finance, corporate administration, and research find community service and personal care roles refreshing and rewarding. Personal care (especially home care) is a rapidly increasing industry in Australia — with job opportunities increasing by more than 30% over the past 5 years.
It could be as simple as obtaining a Certificate III in Individual Support to get you started as a personal carer to the disabled, elderly, or marginalised members of your community.