2021 is the Year to Learn!

No one could have ever predicted the effects COVID-19 has had on our everyday lives. Although, it has allowed us all to press the pause button on our lives and reflect, which has been refreshing, for the most part. With the new year approaching, motivation is at an all-time high. Make sure you use this energy to do some good, make change and grow your knowledge. And, with 2021 looking like a normal-ish year in Australia, it’s a great time to focus on yourself and learn something new, make a career change or upskill to land a job.

A Gap Year Alternative

Year 12s experienced a disruptive year from both a learning and social perspective. University students also had a full-on year, and it hasn’t been great for those who planned to travel either. If you’re contemplating a gap year in 2021, be prepared for continued restrictions on travel. Nevertheless, if you’re prepared to be flexible, there are plenty of opportunities to make a great gap year out of 2021.

Any work, whether related to a career path or not, will put you ahead of the game. Part-time work in a bar or café is great experience, and you’ll earn some extra cash too. The best part is that there is demand for employees to fill hospitality positions in the Northern Rivers, so finding a job may not be so hard, if you’ve got your RSA & RGC certificate and Barista Training.

Receiving training from a recognised training organisation such as North Coast Community College gives your qualification credibility and is a good move if you want to work overseas at some point too. This way you can prove with a certificate that you are qualified to be behind an industrial coffee machine or pouring drinks at a bar. With overseas travel pretty much out of the equation for 2021, use next year to set yourself up as a more attractive employee to Australian and international employers for now, and the future.

Make a Career Change

Feeling like you need a complete refresh for 2021? A career change might be something you’ve been putting off for a while, but 2021 is the year to tackle it head on. North Coast Community College has many options when it comes to qualifications that will change the direction of your career path.

Getting out of the office 9-5 is a popular reason why people choose to take a career change. Finding a more meaningful job that makes positive change is also a big one. With Australia’s ageing population growing, Aged Care is one of the few industries where job security and new opportunities are almost guaranteed. The college runs a CHC33015 Individual Support (Ageing) in collaboration with Whiddon Maclean. It’s a six-month course, preparing you to with real world and practical skills for employment, starting on 1^st February 2021.

If learning about the environment, agriculture, land conversation and/ or bush foods piques your interest, look no further than North Coast Community College. The college has recently launched a new training facility and a series of qualifications that will give you practical, hands-on skills to set you up for a career in the primary industries.

Maybe construction is where you want to go next, and if so, you’ll need a ‘CPCCWHS1001 – Prepare to work safely in the construction industry’ (aka White Card) before you jump into any role. White Card training is required by anyone who wants to carry out construction work, including site managers, supervisors, surveyors, labourers and tradespeople. The course at North Coast Community College is accredited by SafeWork NSW and is a general induction training for anyone entering the industry.

Upskill to Improve Yourself

Education is an investment in knowledge that pays the best interest. Having qualifications in First Aid, CPR and Emergency Response is a highly valuable quality for anyone. No matter the situation, feeling confident knowing what to do if someone around you requires a first aid response is an advantage in any industry, especially if you’re wanting to work with children or in Aged Care. Having this in your back-pocket when going for any job, in any industry is a nice bonus too.

Learning something new just because it’s something you’ve always been interested in is an excellent reason to start a course or qualification in 2021. North Coast Community College have a series of courses in self-development, from learning how to excel at Excel, to basic bookkeeping and managing workplace teams. Learning keeps our brains healthy and it’s important we never stop.

2021 might just be your best year yet! Challenge yourself and try something new, set yourself up for success and reap the rewards with accredited and non-accredited training at North Coast Community College.

Get Summer-Job Ready!

Summer is finally here! Uni students are about to finish up exams, grade 12s are off on their first-summer as high-school leavers and tourists are flocking back into the area. If you’re keen to keep yourself busy with a job this summer, we’ve got some top tips for you. There are plenty of jobs out there, and lots of people going for them, so put yourself ahead of the pack and show potential employers you are ready to start work, right now. How? By getting skilled up for the job. And you can get qualified with North Coast Community College’s accredited and non-accredited training.

So, you want to work behind the bar

Bartending is a pretty attractive job to young people. You get the day to do as you wish, and you work in a dynamic, fun atmosphere several nights a week. Plus, if you’re wanting to head out after work, you don’t have to go far! When it comes to actually getting employed as a bartender in Australia, you’ll need an RSA Certificate. RSA, standing for Responsible Service of Alcohol, is a legal requirement for anyone in Australia who is working in an environment where they are required to serve alcohol to customers (yes, that includes restaurants and sometimes cafés!). If you’re going for a position at a pub, then you’ll need an RCG Certificate too. The Responsible Conduct of Gambling is a requirement for everyone working in gaming venues of licensed premises. Essentially, if your workplace has Pokie Machines, facilitates sports betting and gambling in any way, you need an RCG Certificate to work.

Employers will be looking for candidates that already have their RSA and RCG certification because they are not in a position to wait for someone to get their training done. So, here’s our top tip. Do your RSA and RCG training before you start handing out resumés. And you can do it with North Coast Community College at Cape Byron Distillery, The Australian Hotel Ballina or the Yamba Bowling Club. Courses are run once at month at least and you can find dates and enrol here.

RSA and RCG for jobs in bars and restaurants

Love coffee? Work in a café

Another great summer job is to work in a café. If working in the morning to have the evening off sounds appealing to you, then waitressing at a café or being a Barista may be the perfect fit. And while you may not start as a Barista, you’ll certainly be a more attractive applicant if you have reputable training under your belt. If you do want to jump straight into a Barista role, then you will definitely need hands-on training to prove you know your way around a coffee machine and have mastered the art of a good coffee. In the Northern Rivers, the North Coast Community College Accredited Barista Training is one of the best out there. You’ll learn how to operate and troubleshoot a commercial coffee grinder and machine as well as gain insider-knowledge about the do’s and don’ts when it comes to making coffee.

First Aid for Babysitting and Nannying

Babysitting or nannying is a great job while studying (even while you’re at school!). Usually, it pays pretty well and if you get happy kids, the job is rewarding and lots of fun. Parents are becoming pretty picky when it comes to finding a suitable babysitter or nanny, so reassure and convince them you’re a great choice with First Aid and CPR certification. Having a First Aid certificate will always be something that puts you ahead of the pack, no matter what job you go for. People feel safer knowing someone around them is trained to assist in emergencies and it’s important to know these things for ourselves too. The Accredited First Aid course provided by North Coast Community College is thorough and conducted by industry-professionals in Ballina, Alstonville and Yamba.

Whether you’re going for your first job, a new job for the summer or want to upskill for a new position at work, industry-specific training at a recognised, reputable training provider will help you stand out from the crowd. North Coast Community College has a wide range of accredited and non-accredited courses across all industries at three campuses in the Northern Rivers: Alstonville, Ballina and Yamba.