Blogs (Career Inspiration Articles)

The secret drive to getting a job that you love

Study gives you the qualifications to apply for a job. But work experience, real-world training and internships prove you have the drive and skills to make a career of it.

Work experience works

Employers spend a huge amount of time, energy and money looking for the right employees. They call staff turnover ‘churn’. And churn is a bad thing. It disrupts the entire organisation and is incredibly unproductive.

Work experience is the perfect opportunity to network within an organisation, show your skills and make a name for yourself. If you’ve already proven your worth, you may just land yourself a job offer!

Making that work for you

TAFE NSW has teams dedicated to connecting employers with students and graduates, organising industry work placements, industry events and helping employers through a specialist job-matching service.

We have work experience as part of many TAFE NSW Courses and Degrees. From Aged Care to Fashion Design, Animal Care to Carpentry, our courses often have work placement as a requirement.

If there is no official work placement, then you’ll be learning in simulated facilities so it’s a real-world setting, and there will be opportunities to make connections though with guest industry lecturers and other connections.

"The simulated restaurant has given me an insight into what it is like to work in a restaurant. You can try a bit of everything from learning to make coffee and responsibly serving alcohol, to perfecting customer service." – Meg

The real deal

Find out what motivates you. Experience a day in your future life. Try before you buy and refine your study. It’s actually about your career, not making it easier for an organisation’s HR department. So remember that.

Learn for real. People learn – and retain – skills and knowledge by ‘doing’. Work experience gives you the opportunity to familiarise yourself with daily tasks, how things operate and what you can expect when you start your career.

Be the difference. Employers sift through a lot or applications, so you need to differentiate yourself and stand out from the pack. Use your work experience to your advantage; add it to your CV, update your online profiles and explain how and why this experience has been beneficial to you – and will be beneficial to them.

Darsi says the personal touch from nursing teachers helped reignite her thirst for learning. After completing practical workplace training, she was offered an assistant position while she was still studying.

Remember your connections are right here

All TAFE NSW teachers were industry experts before they became teachers. Most still work in the industry. So our teachers are the industry.

Teachers combine their expertise with a friendly, relaxed and supportive approach in small classes, not in front of huge lectures. TAFE NSW teachers want to put you in touch with employers and for you to find career satisfaction. Seriously. That’s what makes them tick.

Our networks become your networks

You will discover an invaluable professional network among your teachers and fellow students. With over 25,000 industry connections and working in close partnership with industry and business, TAFE NSW responds to emerging trends in the market and delivers training that is tailored for tomorrow.

We’re here to help you get your foot in the door, gain real-world experience and skills that will lead you to your career goal.

Thanks to her TAFE Digital teacher’s connections, Yuki gained employment as a bookkeeper and is progressing her career with a TAFE Digital Diploma of Accounting.

Don’t forget that we all need support

If you’re unsure of what career path you’d like to take, our Counselling and Career Development service can help. It’s free, it’s confidential and it’s designed to help you succeed not only while you’re at TAFE NSW, but also when you graduate.

TAFE NSW Counselling and Career Development Service can help you: