High School Grads Need Commitment and Adaptability to Succeed at Work

Australian high school students about to graduate have been encouraged to develop financial management skills, show commitment and demonstrate adaptability, in order to succeed in their transition to the workforce.

Not-for-profit organisation Doxa provides programs to support disadvantaged young Victorians through their education, and they have gathered tips and insights from top career and financial coaches to assist young people looking to enter university, vocational studies or the workforce.

Doxa CEO, Steve Clifford, said the uncertainty that sometimes accompanies finishing high school could prove to be a struggle.

“This period is often stressful for many young people and can become a rollercoaster of emotions. It’s particularly challenging for disadvantaged young Victorians who often struggle with finding and keeping meaningful work once they leave high school and enter the workforce,” Clifford said.

Doxa spoke to top coaches from organisations including Finance Academy Australia (FAA), Heart Sparks and TRIPOD Enterprise Education.

Chinmay Ananda from FAA said it was important young people “know how to handle finances once they start earning a wage”.

“I always tell young people to always make more money than you spend. To know if you are making more money than you are spending, first you need to know how much you are spending. Remember, you shouldn’t make assumptions when it comes to finance; you should know the exact dollar amount,” Ananda said.

Kim Quinones is an RMIT University student. She is part of Doxa’s cadetship program, which includes professional development training emphasising financial management and planning.

“It’s been great to gain some new skills and guidance on how to deal with bills and manage your spending. Throughout my high school and university experience, financial planning is something we don’t get as part of our education, so it has been a big help for me,” Quinones said.

The career coaches said commitment was often viewed as a quality rather than a skill, but it was important young people tapped into a deeper commitment to what they really wanted.

“Being committed is a skill that can be chosen, increased and learned. It’s about continuing to show up when things feel hard and motivation is waning, especially in challenging instances where you are being turned down for jobs or further study,” said Johanna Parker, a confidence and speaker coach at Heart Sparks.

Finally, adapting to and embracing change was noted as the other main skill young job seekers needed to take on board, with flexibility required to tackle the ever-evolving job market.

The director of TRIPOD Enterprise Education, Betsy Tolmer said: “Sometimes to get from A to B, you might have to swing all the way past Z first. Those who embrace change and adapt their skill from one opportunity to the next will have a huge advantage in the future world of work. Whatever skills you learn in one opportunity or job will take you forward to the next, and use for the rest of your life. Understanding how these skills transfer is key to success.”

Former Doxa cadet and now full-time sales and marketing assistant at Melbourne-based agency Anecdote, Shelley Fenech, added: “Something they don’t teach you at university is that conveying your message in the most efficient and quickest way possible is highly valuable in a busy world.

“Having emotional intelligence is also crucial. The way you interact and work with others is super valuable. These relationships are what can foster your potential or hinder it.”