17 Aug 2021

Like it or not, 2021 has been the year of big plans changing. But when one door closes, another one opens - and it definitely makes you think about a bunch of jobs and career paths you wouldn’t have thought about otherwise. If you want a job that’s off the beaten track, then why not check out some of these:

Seasonal Farm Worker

Just how does all that top-quality produce end up on your plate or in your breakfast bowl? If you’re a city-slicker or you’re not exactly a regular at the farmer’s market, you might not have thought about how we get such an amazing bounty of fruit and veg sitting there clean and ready for you to dig right into.

There’s actually a huge team of people involved in making all of that happen, and seasonal workers are a huge piece of that puzzle. Seasonal workers travel to regional locations to help out with picking and packing fruit and veg, planting crops or even working with animals like on sheep and cattle stations.

They’re often in some pretty stunning parts of the country, so if it strikes ya, you could head there, earn some cash and see the sights on your days off or after your work stint.

Right now Queensland has a whole bunch of opportunities and incentives to get you set up if you’d like to see our gorgeous northern state. Growcom has partnered with the QLD Government to create their GAP year program, where they can help you map out a gap year to take you to some of the best agricultural opportunities the state has to offer.

Plus, if you’re eligible, they’ll set you up with a FarmReady card, which gives you access to training, support, help with your paperwork and even discounts. If you’re thinking about what you want to do for your gap year, definitely give it a geeze!

Cruise Ship Entertainer

Okay, so people are probably going to be dodging cruises for a little while - but if you’re interested in getting into the entertainment industry as a muso, a comedian or a magician, it can be a great way to get some experience. As a cruise ship entertainer, your job is to thrill people from start to finish for 45 mins straight.

You’ll create and run your own self-produced show that works for all audiences and across a bunch of different conditions and ships. While you’ll report to the cruise director, you’ll get your own digs with accommo and deck privileges. Some of the kinds of artists they typically take on include comedians, concert performers, as well as hypnotists and magicians!

Ethical Hacker

Do you watch The Matrix and Mr Robot on a semi-regular basis? Have you ever at any point referred to someone as a ‘casual’ for not building their own PC rig with Linux installed? You’ve probably heard of your classic hacker - a shadowy figure breaking into classified and confidential files with scripts and deception. But did you know that you can actually make a legal living by pretending to be a criminal? Ethical hackers might start out by attacking software and computer systems, but might also try their hand at social engineering like phishing their coworkers, or leaving USBs around the office with auto-start software to see who’s not up to scratch on their personal security. It’s a unique combo of computer science and psychology - so if you’re into either of those things definitely take a look.

As they say, it’s different strokes for different folks, but if you want a challenging job where you get to dodge being a desk jockey, get fit and trained up, definitely take a look at FarmReady Hub. They’ve got all the info you need to set yourself up for a gap year you won’t forget.