Joining the Workforce

For some, the transition to work right after high school will be a permanent one, and that can be another pathway to your dream career.

You may start casual, which means flexible, usually minimal hours. There's also part-time, which is for roles that only require you to work a few hours or days a week, and full-time, which means you'll be working around 38 hours a week in your role. Some contract positions will limit the length of time you're employed.

There are also Fly-In, Fly-Out work opportunities, usually on mining sites, and shift work, which can mean work for multiple days in a row or at unusual hours.

There are plenty of benefits to working: You get to start earning money immediately and begin building your superannuation, which is money set aside from your pay to help you later on in retirement. (Believe it or not, you have to start thinking about that now!)

You'll gain some great experience and learn how to navigate professional environments, which is its own very valuable skill.

No further study also means… no further study. Also: no HELP debt or study loans.

Of course, some employers — like the Australian Defence Force and plenty more — offer their own pathways towards qualifications, so you can start work and still be on track to get a degree or diploma. It's a great option for those who don't want to accumulate a HELP debt.

If you work first and decide to study later in life as a mature age student, you'll be bringing some very valuable, practical knowledge with you.

There are still a number of things you'll need to keep in mind though. By jumping straight into work, you might be limiting your opportunities for structured, formal learning later on.

Your routine may not sync up with your studying friends and impact your social life. You also won't be able to take off months at a time for travel.

Also: once you start earning money, you'll start getting taxed. Again, everyone gets taxed, so maybe the sooner you experience them, the better?