If you would like a job during the holidays but have never applied for a job, there is help available to get you on the right track and it’s free from the Jobs and Skills Centres, which are located throughout the State.
Go to a Jobs and Skills Centre for job application skills.
Text books for schools
Text book sellers have their peak time during the summer holidays as schools and students get their text books for the next year.
If you are interested in working with friends and making some money over summer, this could be a good option for you.
Every year Campion Education hires up to 1700 casual staff across Australia for our busy back-to-school period.There are stores in Canning Vale and Malaga
Casual jobs at Campion are typically from late October / November to February. The roles are in either customer support, warehouse & operations, or retail stores.
Once you register, we will let you know in August when applications open, so you can apply ahead of the crowd.
CBH Summer Jobs
Each year usually in about October, Western Australian (WA) grain growers start harvesting their grain such as canola, wheat, barley and oats.
It only pays $33/hour but there is opportunity for overtime and many uni students save enough to pay for their academic year by working for CBH.
There are three main jobs on a CBH receival site:
Samplers are responsible for ensuring the quality of grain by sampling a truck load of grain and performing an unbiased and accurate assessment of the load.
A Weighbridge Officer is responsible for controlling the site weighbridges, recording grower deliveries and ensuring the correct and accurate weighing of the trucks.
RPOs are responsible for ensuring that the grain flows smoothly from the trucks to the storage areas.
You don’t require any experience as CBH provides all of the necessary training!
Swimming Instructor – Education Department
If you’re a friendly, outgoing person who loves the water, help us run the Education Department’s popular swimming programs across the state.
Leaving school is one of the biggest changes you will ever face. Change is scary and exciting.
When you leave school you can go to uni or TAFE, or you can explore your world by taking a Gap Year.
This post identifies Gap Year opportunities in:
Agriculture
Defence
Volunteering overseas
Studying overseas
Working in the outback.
AgCareerStart / Agriculture Gap Year Program
If you’re 17-25, this unique gap-year program provides you with a paid job, training and development, not to mention the opportunity to build your networks within the agriculture industry.
You can indicate which farm type you’d prefer and where in Australia you would ideally like to go. Find details HERE.
Summer School Harvest Jobs with CBH
Summer jobs with CBH are a tradition in the West Australian wheatbelt. Students work hard through the heat and dust to earn good money to travel, buy a car or fund their study.
The pay is only $33/hour but there is a load of overtime, there is training, free accommodation and a range of roles. Check details HERE.
Vacation Swimming Instructor Jobs
If you are 17 you can be a qualified swimming instructor. Check the qualifications you need HERE.
The horticulture industry relies on people to pick their fruit and veggies. If you take on this work you will probably meet backpackers who are traveling around Australia.
You can apply for a Defence Force Gap Year in the Airforce, Navy and Army.
There is a range of different job opportunities that you can apply for.
To be eligible to apply, you’ll need to be an Australian citizen aged between 18 and 24 on COMPLETION of military training. You’ll also need to have completed Year 12 (subject passes required vary by job) and have passed in Year 10 English and maths.
Applications for all roles are now open – and will close as positions are filled. Learn more HERE.
Army Reserves – part time defence jobs
If you want to do something different on a part time basis, you can apply to join the navy, army or air force reserves. There is a range of jobs you can do.
Because of skills shortages, resorts and roadhouses are importing workers from the Pacific Islands… and everywhere else!
Look for these jobs on sites like Seekor phone/email the local tourist bureau and ask where to find a job in the area.
If you are 18 you can earn more money serving alcohol than cleaning or serving in a cafe. You will need your Responsible Service of Alcohol certificateto be able to work serving alcohol.
Work on a Station
Can’t ride a motor bike or muster cattle? Maybe you can make scones or serve coffee.
Ellenbrae Station Scones
Many stations supplement their incomes through tourism.
If you can clean and make a bed, you can probably find a job supporting the station tourism industry. Look for jobs on sites like Seek.
VolunteerOpportunitiesfor school leavers
Cahoots provides camps and programs for young people with disabilities. They are looking for Year 12 school leaver volunteers who are willing to support young people to engage with recreational activities.
With projects based on the edge of the world’s best safari and close to Mount Kilimanjaro, it’s no wonder that Tanzania is one of our most popular destinations.
In Tanzania, you’ll help support Maasai communities. Consider the following options:
If you would like to study overseas, you can check out your options at hotcoursesabroad.
Crimson is a company which links Australians to university courses in the UK and US. You can get the latest information HERE.
Need Experience? Volunteer at Home
Once you leave school it is tricky getting work experience as employers aren’t insured to cover unpaid volunteers.
In Western Australia you can apply for volunteer work through Volunteering WA. People put in requests for volunteers to them and they place people and cover them through the Volunteering WA insurance.
The Volunteering WA people said that when you first start with them they are careful of the sort of work they let you do until you have proven yourself.
Youth Central provides trusted government advice on gap year opportunities
Youth Central isn’t trying to sell you anything. They don’t want anything from you. They are just trying to help.
Check out Youth Central. It’s a Victorian Government site that has clear, unbiased tips on taking a gap year.
At a recent university seminar for career practitioners, one speaker complained about West Australian school leavers not going to uni.
No wonder they aren’t going
There is such a critical skills shortage happening that employers are ringing schools asking if there are any suitable students for great jobs with career prospects. Students can walk out of school and straight into a job with an okay salary.
The State Government has been pouring money into vocational education and training. There is a bigger variety of courses, they are cheap or free and many give credits to uni degrees.
Uni courses are expensive.
Why would you go to uni?
Those who are not sure what uni to go to, or what they want to study, still get onto the uni bus because:
Their friends are going to uni and they don’t want to be left behind.
The uni bus came for them while they were at school so they bought a ticket.
Their parents told them to get on the bus.
Teachers knew about the uni bus and talked about their experiences in a positive way.
Just because the university bus is ready to pick you up from school, doesn’t mean that you have to get on.
Very few students are 100% sure of the university course that they want to take. About 30% realize that the course they are studying is not the right one for them, and they change direction. Others drop out altogether and end up feeling like they have failed.
If you are not sure what to do at uni, DON’T GET ON THE BUS.
The uni bus fare is expensive
Buying a uni course is not like buying a car. You can’t sell your used course to the next buyer who comes along.
If you get off the bus before you get to the destination YOU STILL HAVE TO PAY.
If you fail, YOU STILL HAVE TO PAY.
If you change courses, YOU STILL HAVE TO PAY for the part of the course you used before you changed direction.
You can estimate how much your degree is going to cost you by using the UWA fees calculator
Defer uni for a year
If you are not sure what course you want to do, you can still apply for a place at uni and, once you get offered a place, defer taking it up for a year.
After working for a year you will have a clearer idea about which units to enrol in.
Vocational Courses
Vocational Education and Training has been the winner in the post-school revolution in Western Australia.
The West Australian government has introduced Fee Free TAFE, it has been introducing short courses, skills sets, and employer subsidies. Industry has been partnering with training providers to deliver skills on the worksite. There are hundreds of courses available.
If you are unsure what course you might like to do or how to enrol find a Jobs and Skills Centre near you for careers guidance. It’s free. They can tell you what courses will give you credits at uni.
You HAVE to do post-school learning
You can’t just leave school and never study again. Okay, you can, but poverty could be your lifelong friend.
People who have post-school qualifications earn more money and have more life choices.
The world isn’t going to stop changing just because you aren’t learning new skills.
You need to keep up with changes in the world of work either by learning on the job, or online or in a classroom. Getting tickets, qualifications, and recognition for your learning will help you to have choices and steer your career in different directions. The skills you gain may even get you credits in some units at uni.
Take Your Time
More haste less speed is an old saying.
It means, don’t rush into things.
If you are not sure what direction to take, slow down and look around. There are many directions to take as you leave school. Uni is just one of them.
Find more choices and guidance on how to make a decision. Subscribe to In Focus Careers Western Australia
Once you step off the education treadmill, you will have time to look around and check out the world.
Here are 3 gap year stories to give you some ideas.
Story 1: Equestrian Centre in the South of France
Background
Ariel finished school with an ATAR of 93. She didn’t know what she wanted to do although she generally liked sciences rather than arts.
When she was in Year 10 Ariel went on a holiday to Spain and France with her mother. She loved travelling and discovering other countries.
While she was at school Ariel made money by babysitting. She had done babysitting for a family of doctors since she was in Year 10. She used the money she made to support her equestrian hobby.
The Plan
Ariel decided that she would take a gap year. Work for 6 months to save money to travel to France where she would work as a nanny.
What Happened
She signed on to a couple of French sites, like Seek, searching for jobs as a nanny. She got her babysitting employers to write her a reference. While she was searching she found an advertisement for a job working at an equestrian centre in the South of France.
She applied for the job and got it.
She travelled to France and worked for 6 months, earning very little, but learning French, working with horses and seeing lots of the country.
After 6 months she came back and is currently studying paramedicine.
Story 2: Volunteering Abroad
Background
Chloe studied Certificate II in Hospitality while at school and worked part-time in cafes.
She comes from a migrant background and is interested in other cultures and the struggles that people go through in other countries.
The Plan
Chloe wanted to volunteer abroad. She contacted a couple of the organisations that organise young volunteers abroad and found out what sort of experience she needed and what sort of work she could do.
Chloe worked several jobs in coffee shops and cafes in the months after she left school and attended meetings to find out more about volunteering requirements and opportunities.
What Happened
Chloe applied for several opportunities in Africa and Cambodia. After a few months, she was offered a 6-month position working in an orphanage in Tanzania.
She paid for her own airfare but her accommodation and meals were paid for.
Meeting the orphans and working with them was fantastic. The workers at the orphanage were friendly and helpful.
Chloe had a single room in a share house with other volunteers. Her work was mainly caring for children aged 4 – 7 years and cleaning and cooking. She had to walk 3 kilometres to work and back each day and it was hot. The mosquitoes were plentiful.
During her 6 months, Chloe made friends with other volunteers from the USA. She learned how tough and corrupt life can be for some children. She also got to visit Serengeti National Park on the way home.
Chloe is now buying a share in a cafe that she is managing.
Story 3: Fashion Design in New York
Background
Georgia finished school with an ATAR of 73. She is very stylish and spent much of her childhood living in a resort that her parents managed.
Georgia has a keen interest in fashion and considered specialising in Fashion Design at Curtin University where some of her friends had enrolled in different courses.
The Plan
Georgia saw a career advisor and then began working on a plan to work for a family friend in a resort for 6 months, before going to New York to do a 6-week fashion and design course.
The cost of doing the course and of living in New York was prohibitive so Georgia got in touch with the College and they were able to arrange for her to share accommodation with some other students.
What Happened
Georgia got in touch with the students she was to share with and found out who they were and where they lived. She arranged to rent a room in their accommodation.
She borrowed money from her mother as a safety net, then flew to New York a week before the course started.
The course was fantastic. New York was fantastic.
She met people she could never have met in Australia and learned about the New York fashion industry. She also learned practical design skills and about marketing in the fashion industry.
She had a brilliant time.
Chloe returned to Australia and began working in a holiday resort again to pay back the money she borrowed from her mother.
She has completed a Diploma in Hospitality and has credits to do a Hospitality Degree.
Teachers who want to help West Australian students to discover career opportunities need In Focus Careers News
My quest is to democratize career opportunities in Western Australia by broadcasting opportunities and advice to all who will listen. You can tap into my work.
“Sometimes you just have to take the leap and build your wings on the way down.”― Kobi Yamada
It takes courage to take the leap from school and out of a supportive education and training world. These gap year ideas may help you to build your wings.
Volunteer Overseas
Projects Abroad
With projects based on the edge of the world’s best safari and close to Mount Kilimanjaro, it’s no wonder that Tanzania is one of our most popular destinations.
We’ve been based in Tanzania for over 12 years, giving us time to cultivate meaningful placements. Why not explore this magical country and leave a positive impact of your own?
In Tanzania, you’ll help support Maasai communities. Consider the following options:
The horticulture industry relies on people to pick their fruit and veggies. In the past the pay and conditions have been shocking, but the pandemic caused the industry to change work practices. The Harvest Trail is a more regulated employment trail for nomads.
If you’re 18-25 and looking to start a career in a meaningful and exciting industry, an AgCAREERSTART gap year will help you gain skills and knowledge to grow the farms of the future.
Over 10-12 months you will live in an exciting regional location, earn a nationally recognised qualification and build life-long industry connections.
Get hands-on experience
Increase your confidence
Work outdoors and discover rural and regional Australia
Working as a CBH harvest casual is a great opportunity to explore, live, work and immerse yourself in regional Western Australia (WA) for a short period of time while earning decent wages.
CBH manages sites all across regional WA where our growers deliver their grain once it has been harvested, and each year we recruit a pool of harvest employees to help us keep these sites moving, getting growers and transporters in and out safely, quickly and back to harvesting.
The boom in tourism within Australia is being slowed by the shortage of workers in resorts, coffee shops, motels, road houses and caravan parks.
Sandfire Roadhouse
Look for these jobs on sites like Seekor phone/email the local tourist bureau and ask where to find a job in the area.
If you are 18 you can earn more money serving alcohol than cleaning or serving in a cafe. You will need your Responsible Service of Alcohol certificateto be able to work serving alcohol.
If you can find a job in a resort or motel chain, take that, it is more likely to pay sick leave, holiday pay and superannuation. Wherever you get a job, make sure your pay and conditions are legit. Ring or email the Fair Work Ombudsman if you need to check.
Work on a Station
Can’t ride a motor bike or muster cattle? Maybe you can make scones or serve coffee.
Ellenbrae Station, halfway between Derby and Kununurra, sells thousands of scones to tourists who travel up the Gibb River Road every year.
Ellenbrae Station Scones
Most stations supplement their incomes through tourism.
If you can clean you can probably find a job supporting the station tourism industry. Look for jobs on sites like Seek.
Defence
Gap Year in Defence (skip this section if you don’t want to try defence opportunities)
The Australian Department of Defence provides a structured, paid path to discover lots of stuff.
You meet lots of new people from different places and find out about their lives. You will probably make friends for life with people you meet at this time.
You get to leave home without having to pay for rent, electricity and food.
You learn new skills. Trying lots of different roles and learning new skills will help you to decide what you like and don’t like, without spending time and money at uni or TAFE.
You find out about life in the army, navy or air force.
Army Reserves – if you would like to serve part time
If you want to do something really different on a part time basis, while helping the community and giving something back to our country, you can apply to join the Navy, Army or Air Force Reserve. There are a range of Reserve jobs in every category, so please check the entry requirements on each job page. Find out more HERE.
Need Experience?
Once you leave school it is tricky getting work experience as employers aren’t insured to cover unpaid volunteers.
In Western Australia you can apply for volunteer work through Volunteering WA. People put in requests for volunteers to them and they place people and cover them through the Volunteering WA insurance.
The Volunteering WA people said that when you first start with them they are careful of the sort of work they let you do until you have proven yourself.
Free Tips
Youth Central
Check out Youth Central. It’s a Victorian Government site that has clear, unbiased tips on taking a gap year.
How to Prepare for a Gap Year – Tips from Omio
Omio has sent me a link to their Gap Year Guides which delivers great resources to prepare for a Gap Year.
The guide contains detailed information on:
The benefits of taking a gap year
How to organize a gap year step by step (e.g., accommodation, transportation, entry requirements & travel restrictions)
Itinerary suggestions and tips for travelling in Europe on a budget
Volunteering in Europe (10 suggestions)
How to successfully find and apply for an internship in Europe
She met people she could never have met in Australia and learned about the New York fashion industry. She also learned practical design skills and about marketing in the fashion industry. 
