Graduate Job Picks of the Week + Work / Life Balance
I'm running through some graduate/entry level jobs & a few personal thoughts on balancing work / life / study this week.
Job Picks of the Week!
Deckhand | Darwin, NT
Paspaley Pearling is one of the leaders in the pearling business, especially in Australia. If you’re looking to get some experience on the water, some experience in aquaculture or just looking for an adventure, this job might be for you. Some experience in manual labour, being a deckhand or working in a marine/agricultural environment is required but you would be working along some pristine Australian Coastline.
“What you need to succeed:
Consistent working history in a manual labour, marine or agricultural environment
Must be able to pass a pre-employment medical, fitness test and drug and alcohol screen
National police clearance or ability to obtain
Comfortable working in remote areas and live in close quarters
Coxswains or relevant tickets highly desirable”
Tour Guide - Trainee & Experienced | Central Australia, NT
Adventure Tour’s Australia is seeking either experienced or trainee applicants for their 2025 season. Tour Guides take guests from Alice Springs out to amazing outback spots like Uluru, Kings Canyon and more! They are considering applicants of all experience levels, provided you can organise the required licences and checks.
“This is a diverse role that requires a love for the outdoors, attention to detail, problem solving skills, high level of customer service and a passion for the environment. If you are after a lifestyle rather than a job, this is the role for you!”
“Necessary prerequisites:
Manual drivers’ license. Must be eligible to obtain a Northern Territory heavy vehicle manual licence (LR, MR or HR) and have the licence prior to starting
Confident driving in the Outback on unsealed roads, towing a trailer
Must be eligible to obtain a Northern Territory H Endorsement to carry passengers. This entails a criminal history check, medical assessment and a written test
Ability to obtain/Hold a current First Aid Certificate - HLTAID003 ‘Provide first aid’
Must be eligible to obtain a Northern Territory Ochre card (Working With Children's check)
Hold a DoFoodSafely certificate
Physically fit with the capability to walk 10km in Grade 4 difficult terrain
Ability to work flexibly, noting our tours are multi day operating 365 days a year
A keen sense of adventure
Applicants who have already completed the Uluṟu Kata Tjuṯa Knowledge for Tour Guides accreditation will be highly regarded
A love of Australia's beautiful Outback!”
Conservation Ranger | Lorne, Victoria
The Great Ocean Road Coast and Parks Authority is seeking a Conservation Ranger to deliver conservation works along the Great Ocean Road, from Torquay to Princetown. This position could suit a graduate with a bit of extra experience on the side, as experience listed below indicates:
“Qualifications and experience:
Tertiary qualification, or equivalent experience, in an environmental field such Conservation, Land Management or Horticulture.
Accreditations in chemical handling, chainsaw operation, occupational health and safety (preferred).
Experience using GPS, GIS and other spatial tools.
Demonstrated skills and experience in land management and/or coastal biodiversity conservation including weed control, native vegetation management, pest management, site assessment, site monitoring and reporting.”
Many of the above qualifications and experience is covered in university courses and field trips/projects, so try your hand at applying, you could be working alongside some epic views of the Great Ocean Road.
Work / Life / Study
If you’re anything like me, you are also working your butt off whilst studying full time in order to afford modern day luxuries like … hmmm… rent and food, so it can feel like there’s absolutely no balance or break between the work and the studying. Rest assured, I still struggle with this balance and probably always will. Jobs that I’m passionate about have always given me purpose and it’s hard to step away from something that you’ve put a lot of effort into and care about.
I would highly recommend moving outside of big cities to gain a better work/life balance. Especially after years of studying in the same place, it’s nice to get a change of scenery & at the moment, working in regional areas provides more opportunities than in major cities (in my opinion). Many places across Australia provide accommodation and/or food with their positions and even if the job isn’t exactly in your field, the ability to move and work in regional/remote areas is often looked at positively on job applications.
You don’t always have to go into the field in which you studied. I often wonder how I ended up in conservation & land management with my Marine Science degree but it taught me a lot of skills and knowledge that can be applied in all sorts of environments (literally and figuratively). Don’t limit yourself to jobs or positions that are only within your field of study, branch out and apply for a range of things & see what happens. In my opinion, your first few years out of uni should be finding your feet in your chosen industry and trying a whole range of jobs/experiences/skills. Release yourself from the pressure of having to find a job in your field of study immediately, it’s an unrealistic expectation leftover from the days when jobs didn’t expect you to have ‘3 years experience’ for a ‘graduate level position’ (insert eye roll here).
If you would like more information on working regionally, let me know!
Catch you later in the week for some news discussions.
Lizzy