Student Opportunities Working In Australia

Australian resources boom just the job for UK students

Sydney - August 31, 2010:

Up to 200,000 UK applicants will miss out on a place in higher education this year, and thousands more graduates are facing a jobs squeeze, but they can all boost their career prospects by enrolling at the University of Oz instead.

With competition for university places predicted to be even tighter next year, experts have warned it will be those with ‘worldly experience’ on their CV who will succeed second time round – and the University of Oz is the place to find it.

A resources boom and labour shortages mean there’s a glut of work available Down Under.

Research by the Backpacker Operators Association of New South Wales (BOA NSW) reveals 25,063 jobs suited to 18 to 30-year-old travellers to Australia on working holiday visas are currently being advertised in Sydney alone (sources seek.com.au, sydney.gumtree.com.au, taw.com.au and internationalcasuals.com).

Typical jobs include bar staff earning $20 per hour plus tips ($50 to $200 p/w), office workers on $25 per hour, live-in au pairs on $500 p/w, skilled labourers on $30 an hour, farm workers earning up to $750 including food and board , accountants on $30 an hour, fruit pickers earning between $400 and $1000 p/w, telemarketers and sales staff on $1,000 per week including commission and nurses earning up to $50 per hour.

And with the exchange rate currently sitting at GBP1 to AUD 1.73*, there’s never been a better time to swap the boozer for the beach.

Backpacker trade website thumbrella.com.au reports a combination of high base salaries and the strong dollar are making Australia an attractive option for young British workers in a range of job categories popular with working holidaymakers.

Bar staff, tour guides, restaurant and office workers all earn higher salaries in Australia than the UK once exchange rates are taken into account.

Bar staff earn an average $36,639 in Australia compared to £11,930 ($20,788) in the UK, while office administrators earn $42,854 in Australia compared to £15,966 ($27,821) for their British

counterparts. Travel and tour guides earn $40,756 in Australia compared to £12,561 ($21,888) in the UK while Australian wait staff can expect $30,359 compared to £11,930 ($20,788) for their British counterparts.

Public relations worker Tony Nicholson, 22, from Teesside is one Brit with direct experience of the variety of work Australia has to offer.

He said: "I’ve done everything from grape picking to strimming almond trees, working in a garlic farm to working in a cinema, with a call centre job squeezed in along the way."

And Courtney Winstanley, 19, from Preston found working as an au pair wasn’t really work at all.

She said: "I live as part of a family and help look after two girls aged three and nine. We spend our days painting, going to the park, baking and having picnics at the marina. It gives me a lot of free time to sample the true Australian way of life and gain experiences I wouldn't get from a job back home. Most of the time it doesn't really feel like work at all!"

BOA NSW president Katrina Greeves warned the shortage of university places and post-graduate jobs is only likely to worsen next year and urged disappointed students to travel to Australia, build their CV and improve their chances next time round.

She said: "The problem for many applicants is that the squeeze is likely to be even tighter in 2011, so it’s vital they get valuable experience during their time off and make themselves more attractive to university admissions tutors and employers next time round. Australia is a great place to get practical work experience, broaden your skills, boost your resume and have fun at the same time. There are so many opportunities to work, play and study in Australia's cities and regional areas and help fill the gap while university places and jobs back home are scarce."

Gapyear.com founder Tom Griffiths agreed. He said: "Marine biology applicants will stand out with project work from the Great Barrier Reef on their CV. Veterinary science applicants can demonstrate a focused interest with stints at sanctuaries for endangered Australian species. Law graduates might benefit from an internship with a law firm in Sydney. Budding geologists may benefit from a stint shadowing senior colleagues on location in the outback."