Key takeaways
The average Aussie will change careers twice in 20 years – not just jobs, but whole professions.
AI, demographics & economic shifts are reshaping industries faster than ever.
The winners will be those who embrace lifelong learning & human skills like creativity, empathy, and adaptability.
Employers that invest in reskilling will keep their best people—and thrive.
A non-linear career path is no longer a weakness—it’s a competitive advantage.
Imagine this: you’ve built a career, perhaps even become an expert in your field, and yet in the next 10 or 15 years, you will find yourself doing something entirely different.
Not just working for a new boss or switching companies, but stepping into a completely new career.
That’s not science fiction, it’s the forecast for the average Australian worker.
On current trends, we’ll completely change occupations more than twice in the next 20 years.
This raises some important questions: what’s driving this shift? How can we prepare for it?
And perhaps most importantly, how can we ensure these changes become opportunities rather than disruptions?
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Why this matters
Once upon a time, work was predictable.
You studied, entered a profession, stuck with it for decades, and retired with a handshake and maybe a gold watch.
Today, that idea looks as outdated as a typewriter.
As Simon Kuestenmacher, leading demographer and my co-host on Demographics Decoded, points out:
“Change is a good thing. It is scary, which is why we don’t do it. But ultimately, as individuals, we’re cheating ourselves out of opportunities when we avoid it. And as a country as a whole, we’re cheating ourselves out of productivity.”
This is about more than personal careers, it’s about national competitiveness.
If Australians can adapt, reskill, and reinvent, our economy thrives.
If we resist change, we risk falling behind.
What’s driving career change?
Several powerful forces are reshaping the world of work:
1. Technology and AI
Automation is already replacing routine tasks in industries from banking to retail.
Roles like data entry clerks, postal workers, and even some accounting jobs are shrinking rapidly.
At the same time, entirely new roles are emerging: AI specialists, big data analysts, fintech engineers, and developers in fields we haven’t even named yet.
Simon draws the parallel to the Internet revolution:
“In the late 90s, everyone had an email address, but we hadn’t conceptualised social media or online retail yet. We are now at this point with AI. We know it’s big, but we don’t yet know all the jobs it will create.”
2. Demographics
Australia’s workforce is ageing.
As baby boomers retire, they’ll leave a huge vacuum of roles to be filled.
With fewer younger workers coming through, industries will increasingly welcome career shifters.
Healthcare and aged care, for example, are doubling in size and will need vast numbers of new workers, many of them transitioning from other industries.
3. Economic Shifts
As the economy restructures, workers must follow the opportunities.
The decline of manufacturing and fossil fuels contrasts with the rise of renewable energy, logistics, and technology.
Career pivots aren’t optional, they’re survival.
4. Globalisation & Migration
Changes to global supply chains, plus Australia’s migration policies, will continue to shape the job market.
If managed well, migrants can fill skills shortages while locals pivot to new roles.
But if handled poorly, it can create unnecessary competition and tension.
The barriers holding Australians back
Ironically, even though the economy needs more labour mobility, Australians are less likely to change jobs today than in the 1990s.
Why? Housing affordability.
“In the past, changing jobs often meant changing cities,” Simon explained. “But with housing being so hard to come by, and people being stuck in mortgages for 30 years, we’re less willing to take risks.”
Add to that the fact that most households now rely on two incomes.
Moving cities doesn’t just mean one person finds a new job; it means two people do. That level of uncertainty keeps many families locked in place.
So while technology is pushing us towards change, structural realities are pulling us back.
Preparing for the future of work
The message is clear: career change is no longer the exception; it’s the rule.
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Here’s how to prepare:
1. Adopt lifelong learning
Gone are the days when a degree set you up for life.
Workers need continuous, bite-sized upskilling.
Simon argues for “micro-trainings and bootcamps” that let workers pivot quickly without taking years out of the workforce.
2. Develop Human Skills
Technical knowledge expires quickly.
The real differentiators are human skills: adaptability, communication, creativity, problem-solving, empathy, and proactive time management.
“Always double down on human-centric skills,” Simon advised. “Figure out what humans do better than machines, and focus on those.”
3. Combine Disciplines
The most valuable workers will be those who can bridge industries, bringing medical expertise into tech, for example, or combining data analytics with social sciences.
These hybrids stand out.
4. Leverage AI for Learning
Rather than fearing AI, we should use it.
Schools and companies are already experimenting with personalised learning journeys tailored to each student or employee.
This will make reskilling faster, cheaper, and more effective.
Who risks being left behind?
Not everyone is equally prepared for this future.
Workers in regional towns, those with lower formal education, and older workers are at greater risk of being stranded as industries evolve.
Simon doesn’t sugarcoat it:
“If a certain kind of industry becomes obsolete and you don’t pivot, you sit there economically unproductive, frustrated, and left behind. You must change.”
That’s why governments, employers, and education providers need to work together to smooth transitions.
A fragmented system that leaves mid-career workers without quick reskilling options will only deepen inequality.
The role of employers
At Metropole, I’ve always said our biggest asset is our people.
Employers must invest in their teams, not just for productivity, but for retention.
Some worry about training staff who might leave.
My view is the opposite: I’d rather train them and give them a culture worth staying for.
As Simon put it:
“If improving your staff makes them want to leave, that doesn’t speak well for your organisation.”
In today’s tight labour market, being an employer of choice is no longer optional, it’s survival.
The upside of career change
For all the fear around disruption, there’s a strong silver lining.
Many people who’ve been forced into a new career later admit it was the best thing that ever happened to them.
Younger generations, shaped by the pandemic, are arguably more resilient and adaptable than ever.
They expect change, and that mindset may prove to be their greatest asset.
And perhaps most importantly, employers and society are beginning to value non-linear career paths.
Having a zigzagging resume is no longer a weakness, it’s a strength.
Final thoughts
The future of work in Australia will be defined by movement, between roles, industries, and even entire professions.
It’s no longer realistic to expect a straight-line career.
The real question is: will you resist the shift and risk being left behind, or will you embrace it as a chance to reinvent yourself?
Because while career change may be unavoidable, it doesn’t have to be negative.
With the right mindset and preparation, it could well be the best thing that happens in your working life.
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