Careers advisers from schools across Sydney came together last week to learn about opportunities for students in the city’s multi-billion dollar visitor industry.
The Launch your Career in the Visitor Economy event had the teachers explore career pathways in tourism, events, hospitality, retail and arts for their students. Advisers also participated in a Bush Tucker Tour at the Royal Botanic Gardens and heard from industry experts from Destination NSW, Business Sydney, BridgeClimb, Merlin Entertainment and the Royal Botanic Gardens.
The event was jointly organised by the Regional Industry Education Partnerships (RIEP) program, TAFE NSW and Destination NSW.
Regional Industry Education Partnerships officer and the event organiser, Lee Johnston, said: “This special event for careers advisers provided a comprehensive and engaging overview of the Visitor Economy, highlighting the exciting opportunities emerging for young people across NSW.
“Hearing directly from Destination NSW about the Visitor Economy Strategy 2030 and the projected workforce demand made it clear that this sector offers significant career pathways for high school students.
“The Visitor Economy in NSW is poised for considerable growth, for example with the imminent opening of a new international airport, making it critical for Careers Advisers to deepen understanding and support students in exploring this vibrant sector.”
The NSW Government is aiming for $65 billion in visitor economy by 2030. Its ambitions include economic prosperity, jobs and lifestyle opportunities for the people of NSW. It also aims to increase visitor economy job growth by 10 per cent by 2030.
Muneeza Rathore, a careers adviser at Marsden High School and participant in the event, said the experience gave them a much clearer picture of the tourism industry and its wide range of career opportunities, helping them challenge the misconceptions some students have
“I’ve noticed that many students have limited awareness of the visitor economy and often think it only includes roles like travel agents or flight attendants, and they don’t know what exactly they will gain from the TAFE NSW course,” Rathore said. “This has led to low interest and fewer students choosing the course. Their views are also influenced by misconceptions and parents believing it’s not a high-paying industry and long-term career pathway.
“My most valuable takeaway was hearing directly from industry professionals about their career pathways and qualifications, which helped me understand how broad and varied the sector really is.”
