Australia's Healthcare Career Opportunities and Challenges for School Leavers

Do you get satisfaction from helping others? Are you more interested in people than 'things'? If you said 'yes' to both of those questions, there's a good chance that working in the healthcare sector might suit you. Furthermore, it's one of Australia's fastest-growing industries, meaning there are many career opportunities to be had.

On top of offering excellent job security, those working in healthcare get the chance to significantly impact people's lives. Whether you work in medicine, nursing, mental health allied healthcare or medical research, there are countless ways to make a difference.

In this article, we look at the career possibilities for those in healthcare, including specialising in mental health. If you're a high school leaver thinking about joining this crucial industry, stay tuned as we dive into the avenues down which a career in this area might take you.

The Opportunities Available in Australian Healthcare

The healthcare industry in Australia represents a diverse and growing field, offering various opportunities for students considering their options after high school. In fact, you could say it's a recession-proof sector, as people will always need looking after.

For anyone wanting to work in an area with real meaning, here are some key roles to consider…

• General Practitioner - perhaps you'd like to think about a role as a general practitioner or family doctor, as they're often referred to. As a first point of contact for patients, you'll be the person people in your community turn to for health advice and build long-term relationships with those you care for.
• Specialist Doctor - If saving lives is what you want to aim for, then becoming a specialist doctor as part of a clinic or hospital certainly fits the bill. From cardiology to oncology, you’ll support patients with a deep focus on one particular area of medicine.
• Nurse - The types of nursing roles available are incredibly varied, including diverse fields like paediatric nursing, emergency nursing and midwifery (delivering babies). This is another front-line job in which you'll need to have a great bedside manner as you cater to patient needs.
• Paramedic - As part of Australia's emergency services, your job is an exciting one and often adrenaline-filled as you literally keep people alive and give them the acute care they require.
• Allied Health Professional - In this category of healthcare, you'll find occupational therapists, physiotherapists, dieticians and more as you complement the care given by regular healthcare professionals

These are all areas that focus on healing the body, but there are equally as many areas of speciality that concentrate on helping people heal the mind. As such, you'll find a wide range of professionals who’s job is to help people overcome mental trauma and restore wellbeing.

• Psychiatrist - This is a highly skilled medical doctor who uses their expertise to diagnose and treat mental health conditions through therapy and medication management.
• Counsellor - Providing emotional support and teaching coping strategies, counsellors work in groups or on a 1-to-1 basis to help people overcome specific issues like grief, relationship problems, and addiction.
• Mental Health Nurse - Offering specialised care to patients with ongoing mental health issues, you'll work hands-on either in mental health facilities, hospitals or out in the community.

Mental health roles have become increasingly important in modern-day society, as a staggering 44% of Australians between the ages of 16-85 experience a mental health issue at some point in their lives. Whether you’re interested in a career direct patient care role or a mental health position, there's a wide variety of fulfilling professional pathways to consider.

The Benefits & Challenges of Joining Australia's Healthcare Field

Joining Australia’s healthcare industry straight out of high school can be highly rewarding, however, don’t expect everything to be plain sailing. Healthcare can be incredibly demanding both physically and emotionally, as you may be exposed to upsetting and stressful situations.

This is particularly the case if you're working as a paramedic or in A & E when gravely injured people are arriving or when providing end-of-life care in a hospice. It's why healthcare is not a field for everyone, as it requires a great deal of maturity and resilience. If you have the determination and passion for helping others that's needed, however, it's an obstacle that can be overcome.

The Rewards Can Be Equally Substantial

While the challenges healthcare professionals face can be significant, the rewards on offer in terms of pay and job satisfaction can be equally substantial. The average healthcare salary sits around $105k per year, there are few fields that offer the gratification that comes with knowing you've made a tangible difference to someone's life.

Whether it's through diagnosis, treatment or simple emotional support, the impact you can have is both direct and meaningful. If you've ever had to use the Australian healthcare system yourself, you'll know all about the reassurance they provide and the good people in this sphere do on a daily basis.

What sort of person do you need to succeed in healthcare? Apart from a desire to help others, you need to be sensitive, understanding, patient, hardworking and able to work well under pressure. If this sounds like you, you might just find your calling in this area.

Find Out if Healthcare is For You With Wandr Learning

Of course, we can only tell you so much about working in the healthcare field in a short blog like this one, but thankfully, Wandr has you covered! With our discovery and learning platform, you can get a comprehensive insight into the mental healthcare industry via our Career Kickstarter, Skillin' It and Essential courses.

Our interactive learning offers an opportunity to get a proper idea about whether it's a field that suits you as a person while also serving as an entry into the wider general healthcare sector. If the outcome is that you love every second of your training, then you've got your answer.

If you find that it doesn't quite fit you and your personality, you've not wasted years training for a career that doesn't offer what you need. Either way, it's a wise move for anyone considering their options after leaving secondary education.

1000s of Video-Based Courses Across a Range of Industries

We hope that you discover your calling in healthcare, but if not, we've got 1000s of courses that span a comprehensive range of industries for you to try. For a low monthly fee, you can take your time sampling an array of professions to see if they fit you and your ambitions.

Who knows, you might find your ideal career path in…

• Business, Management & Entrepreneurship
• Special FX & Game Design
• Interior & Graphic Design
• Makeup & Beauty
• Fitness & Nutrition
• Cyber Security & Tech
• Tourism & Travel
• Photography
• Fashion

Wandr courses are designed to help you find your way in life and take all the stress out of the crucial decisions you have to make when leaving high school. With our help, you'll find a professional path in which you'll thrive and genuinely enjoy going to work each day.

Let Wandr Courses Help You Navigate Your Way

There's a lot to contend with when you leave high school, and it's essential that you make the right career decisions. Wandr lets you try careers on for size without committing your entire future. Our discovery and learning platform allows you to make sense of all the available possibilities and make a truly informed decision about what you want to do with your life.

Our interactive, easy-to-digest, video-led career content covers 1000s of topics, and we also offer 1-to-1 career coaching from real-world experts that you can contact whenever you want to get an inside view of what to expect across a broad spectrum of industries.
To discover more about us and what we offer, visit us today at www.wandr.au, where you'll find what  makes us different. Alternatively, why not chat with our team by calling 1300 611 404 or emailing support@wandr.au today? They'll do everything they can to help you find your career direction.