When it comes to choosing a career, how well you are compensated and your job security is likely to be among the most important deciding factors. Whether your business has had to pivot, or you’ve been let go and decided to carve a new path for yourself—there are still many jobs that offer a high salary, job growth and better job security.
Which occupation is more in Demand in Australia?
Jobs with high salaries can be found across the industries of IT and finance. Roles like Head of Operations, IT Security Architect and Chief Technology Officer offer salaries of up to $180,000 per year.
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Below are some of the highest paying jobs in Australia in 2021, according to Michael Page and IDP.
The 10 highest paying jobs in Australia in 2021:
- General Manager
General Managers oversee the daily operations of the business and ensure that strategic goals are met by setting operational policies, managing and creating budgets and employee management.
They are also responsible for reporting key results to senior executives and directing the activities surrounding sales, marketing, or customer service within the business. A General Manager’s average base salary in Australia is $170,000 per year.
- Project Manager
Project Managers are responsible for the planning, organising and executing of projects in a company. They always work in a team and need to be highly adaptable since they work with different people and may be expected to work across different environments from time to time.
They may also face complex work scenarios where they will need to be flexible and have a strong ability to problem-solve. A Project Manager’s base salary in Australia is $118,894 per year but is also dependent on what type of industry they work in.
- Head of Operations
The Head of Operations oversees the activities within the functions of finance, IT and regulatory compliance. They also design policies, oversee customer service and find ways to implement technology solutions so that the operations of the business is in order and runs smoothly to boost employee productivity.
People looking to work as the Head of Operations ideally need to be analytical and strategic. They also need to have a broader sense of knowledge of the business to excel in their role. The average salary for the Head of Operations in Australia is $136,234 per year.
- Chief Technology Officer
The Chief Technology Officer ensures that the technical aspects of an organisation fit in well with the company’s growth targets. This is a senior executive role that has them usually reporting to the Chief Executive Officer (CEO).
They are also responsible for maintaining the company’s network, researching ways to make improvements on technical assets and create networking safeguards to ensure that the company’s technologies are protected from security breaches. The average base salary for this role in Australia is $176,359 per year.
- Portfolio Manager
A Portfolio Manager is responsible for managing and creating investment allocations for private clients. These can be for individuals and families. Some portfolio managers also work with corporate or institutional investors. Depending on what route they take, they can either create investment packages supplied to clients or manage expectations and transactions for them.
They are required to buy and sell securities in an investor’s account in order to meet the requirements of a particular investment strategy or objective. In order to do this successfully, portfolio managers need to conduct interviews so they can best understand the needs of their clients. The average base salary for a Portfolio Manager in Australia is $122,859 per year.
- Health and Wellbeing Manager
Health and Wellbeing Managers are hired to set key objectives when it comes to the health and wellness and staff members. They plan activities and programs that promote wellness and employee engagement across the workplace.
They also look after the work health safety aspect within an organisation to ensure that they are compliant. Health and wellbeing managers find ways to reduce potential workplace claims and provide coaching to those returning to work from injury. The average base pay for the role of Health and Wellbeing Manager in Australia is $126,919 per year.
- Cloud Engineer
A Cloud Engineer handles any technological duties related to cloud computing. These can be specific to design, planning, management, maintenance and support. Companies that hire cloud engineers generally need skilled workers that can provide good technical solutions for the business, particularly in the cloud services that they use.
Cloud engineers generally work on a specific type of cloud computing and they need at least three to five years of experience with cloud services, including software development, system engineering and scripting languages. The average base salary for a Cloud Engineer in Australia is $120,542.
- IT Security Architect
An IT Security Architect is responsible for managing the security systems within an organisation’s IT network. This means that they design, build and test these security systems to ensure that they are up to protocol. IT Security Architects need to have a thorough understanding of complex IT systems and keep up with the latest security standards. They also need to prepare for any possible security threats and identify any areas of weakness in a network system.
To ensure security systems are kept from potential security breaches, IT Security Architects also teach staff members how to keep safe online from cyber-attacks, improving their sense of security awareness and ensuring that security policies are followed. The average base salary for an IT Security Architect in Australia is $153,554.
- IT Manager
The IT Manager has the role of leading the IT department, looking after the network and data security of the organisation. They also design training programs and workshops for staff members, as well as finding opportunities where they can make improvements on software and systems. IT Managers also oversee and determine the timeframes of major IT projects. This could either be working on migrations or outages.
IT Managers also look after the professional development of their team, finding opportunities for team training and implementing policies to ensure that staff adhere to the use of the IT systems. The average base salary for an IT Manager in Australia is $103,896.
- IT Systems Architect
The IT Systems Architect is responsible for the design, maintenance and implementation of databases and computer systems for an organisation. In order for them to do this, they need to work alongside the company to understand their business objective with the assigned resources and budgets assigned to them, ensuring that their employees get the best user experience when it comes to their roles.
An IT Systems Architect may also be involved in the installation of both hardware and software for these computer systems. They ensure that the client and company needs are met so establishing rapport with staff members and developers is essential to succeed in the role. They may also offer technical support and instruction manuals to users for installation. The average base salary for an IT Systems Architect in Australia is $120,668.
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Why Work in Australia
- Thriving economy: The country has a thriving economy that has shown steady growth. It is the 13th largest economy in the world with the 10th highest per capita income. At 5% its unemployment rate is very low. The country provides the highest minimum wages even for casual workers. There is a constant need for people with specialization and skills and the growing economy provides enough job opportunities.
- Numerous visa options: Australia offers numerous visa options for workers. The government issues visas to workers based on their qualifications or the skillsets that they have. There are visas for temporary or permanent employment and visas sponsored by employers. The visa approval takes about 18 months which is quick compared to other countries.
- Skill Select program: To give opportunities to job seekers with specialized skills, the Australian government created the General Skilled Migration (Skill Select) program in 2013. There are five visa subclasses under this program.
- Skilled Independent visa (Subclass 189)
- Skilled Nominated visa (Subclass 190)
- Graduate Temporary visa (Subclass 485)
- Skilled Nominated or Sponsored visa (Provisional) (Subclass 489)
- Skilled Regional visa (Subclass 887)
Applicants to this program are assessed on a points-based system and can qualify for a visa only if they have the required points. The government regularly updates the list of occupations. You can access their site to find out which skills are in demand.
Check out the SkillSelect program and register for the program to be considered for a visa. Your details will be recorded in the Skillselect Database. Employers, national and regional governments access this database to find people who can fill their vacancies under the sponsored visa category. If you qualify you will be asked to apply for a skilled visa by the Australian government.
- Recognition of your qualifications:Â Australian companies value overseas work experience because they believe it brings a fresh perspective to the workplace. Companies here recognize several professional qualifications. If you have these qualifications, you have greater chance to qualify for the SkillSelect program.
- Pension benefits: Migrants working and living in Australia are entitled to some pension benefits. If you want to get these benefits you must meet the age and residency requirements. Individuals working in Australia have the benefit of a retirement savings account called the Superannuation Fund.
- Quality of life:Â Australia offers a better quality of life. Citizens can avail of an efficient healthcare system and a social support system. Apart from this, the population density is very less even in the big cities. At 6.4 people per square mile, it stands third among countries with the least density of people.
Australia has a multicultural society with people from different parts of the world coming and settling here. In fact, 43% of Australians have parents of overseas origin or were born overseas.
The pollution-free air and the temperate climate and the natural ecosystems here make it an ideal place to settle down.
Here we have them- The Top 10 Occupations in Demand in Australia. Feel free to pursue courses around these occupations if you want to remain relevant in the Australian labour market.
