You could be a Designer!

‘Designer’ – like the sound of that? Wondering what exactly a designer is and does?

Well, there’s a new way of thinking about what jobs we’re suited to, and its focus is on skills rather than job titles. This approach is called ‘Job Clusters’ and one of the clusters is called ‘The Designers’.

What’s a job cluster?

Research from the Foundation for Young Australians has shown that when you train in one job, you actually gain skills that can be used in an average of 13 other jobs. This is great news as it means you’re probably skilled for more jobs that you realise, or at least you will be. Clusters are several jobs grouped together by skill set. There are seven job clusters in total;

• Designers (which we’ll talk about here)
• Artisans
• Generators
• Coordinators
• Carers
• Informers and
• Technologists

So, how does knowing my job cluster help me?

Firstly, knowing which job cluster your interests and skills fit with will help you decide what job suits you best. Plus, because the job clusters group together jobs by skill set, if you want to transfer to a different job you can see which ones might work best. For example, if you worked as a product tester you’d be a Designer, and you could look at other Designer roles, like a draftsperson or food technologist.

What skills does a Designer have?

Designers were often good at maths and science at school. They enjoy planning and constructing products or buildings.

What jobs are in the Designer cluster?

Industries that employ lots of Designers include architectural, engineering and technical services.

If you’re a Designer, and starting out in the workforce, you might like to think about jobs in food production or clothing companies. Designers can also make good geologists and building inspectors.

How can jobs in the Designer cluster accommodate disability?

In all jobs, employers are required to make reasonable adjustments to accommodate any needs you may have resulting from disability. If you’re interested in a Designer role, CoAct can certainly help make it happen for you.

I think I’d make a good Designer where do I start?

Your first stop should be our fun, quick ‘Find a job as unique as you’ quiz which will help figure out which job cluster is the best fit for you. You may find you’re not a Designer after all, perhaps you’re a Generator or an Artisan.

Whatever job cluster you fit in, CoAct will be able to help you with next steps to finding your perfect fit.