According to the Bureau of Statistics, a whopping 1.7 million Australians are currently employed in the healthcare industry. That is approximately 15% of the country’s entire workforce.
If you are a student about to leave school or university or an older person considering a change of employment, you might be wondering what benefits working in this field might bring you.
Well in this post, we aim to make things clearer by highlighting eight reasons to pursue a career in healthcare. Hopefully, they will incentivise you to send in some applications. We also have some great healthcare careers to consider beyond the obvious such as nursing or being a doctor.
1. Lots of Employment Opportunities
As the population of Australia grows through immigration and gets older, the demand for dedicated healthcare professionals will increase. Subsequently, you should find plenty of employment opportunities in any given field of healthcare.
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For instance, the more life expectancy Australians have, the greater the need for professionals to work in services related to aged care. Congruently, as the population grows, there will be more calls for those working in the dental, physical therapy or medical practice fields.
These positions should be available across the board, from entry-level to those that are more specialist. So, they should appeal to people of all ages, academic backgrounds and experience levels.
2. Earning potential
A recent study by Talent.com revealed that the average salary for a healthcare worker in Australia is $102,901 per year, with entry-level positions beginning at $75,122 per year.
While it is important to recognise that this is an average figure that will depend on the specific field you work in, it is fair to say that the healthcare industry can provide you with very good earning potential. This is particularly true if you want to find a role in a government organisation or hospital.
If your personal goals are to buy a home, take overseas holidays regularly and provide financial security for your family, working in the healthcare industry could be a very attractive proposition for you.
3. Positions available at different education levels
One of the great things about working in the healthcare industry is that it has a number of positions across various fields to suit any educational background.
Therefore, it doesn’t matter if you hold a master’s degree in any given discipline of medicine or a Senior Secondary Certificate of Education (SSCE); you should have no trouble finding available positions.
Whether you go for an entry-level position or something that requires a specific academic qualification is up to you. However, to improve your chances of being considered for a wider range of jobs, you should check out health courses online with UTS to enhance your appeal as a candidate.
4. Many fields to choose from
As the healthcare industry incorporates a diverse range of fields, you should also have plenty of options available to build a fulfilling career that aligns with your aspirations and interests.
For instance, those interested in medicine could become a dentist, nurse or doctor. Alternatively, you could choose to focus on medical research, including as a biomedical scientist or microbiologist.
Ultimately, having a wealth of options can be advantageous as you should never be bored.
5. Job Satisfaction
Arguably one of the biggest drawcards of working in healthcare is job satisfaction, particularly when you make a positive impact on the health and well-being of your clients and patients.
Nurses, for example, offer invaluable pain management and emotional support to those suffering from illness and injury. This could be one of the leading reasons why 96% of them exhibit moderate to high levels of job satisfaction.
For many people, knowing they are part of an industry and field that helps people relieve pain and adopt healthier habits, such as quitting smoking or drugs, is a powerful motivating force.
6. No two days are the same
Such is the nature of the healthcare industry that no two days of working in it are the same.
Therefore, far from performing repetitive tasks, you are virtually guaranteed to experience a different challenge every day, as patients and clients will have varying needs.
7. Career development opportunities
As a healthcare professional, you have many career development opportunities open to you.
With medical research and knowledge rapidly improving, many healthcare businesses place a strong emphasis on helping their staff stay ahead of the curve through training and development.
By doing this, they not only ensure their patients receive the best care possible with the latest technology, but also constantly enhance their employee’s skill set and knowledge base.
8. Work Abroad
Being a healthcare professional is a transferable skill which opens up plenty of opportunities for working abroad.
If you love the idea of plying your trade overseas, you could find work in most countries around the world, particularly if you hold a relevant educational qualification.
As well as meeting and helping people of different backgrounds, you can also get to visit famous landmarks in foreign countries and experience their different cultures, all while getting paid to do a job you love.