Medicine, Law and the Arts – previously the careers of choice for the prospective professional – are now decidedly ‘uncool’, according to a comprehensive career study conducted in Australia.
The study, which polled school-going students across the continent, sought to gauge perceptions of different industries within the 16-18 age category, in a bid to discover the decision-making process used to define their eventual career path.

And the results, recently unveiled to the public, showcased Generation Y's affinity for both practical education and to pursue cool, 'sexy' careers, mostly within the creative industry. Of the students polled, careers in television (25%), the music industry (24%), film (23%) and digital media (22%) featured most frequently, with over 65% of respondents rating 'acting' as a job which 'attracts the sexiest people'.

The survey also showed a marked shift towards practical education, with an astounding 83% of those considering future education specifying that they would rather pursue studies that will give them practical skills which are 'useful in the real world'.

Respondents also felt strongly about aligning their personal proficiencies with their chosen career path, with 67% actively searching for careers that 'fit their interests and talents', allowing them creativity and the opportunity to be innovative in the workplace.

"We weren’t actually surprised at the results," comments Marco Bettelli, Managing Director of the Asia Pacific, Middle East and Africa regions for SAE Institute, the global college which commissioned the study. "We’ve seen a considerable increase in interest from students wishing to pursue non-traditional areas of study, as students choose to take advantage of the opportunities available in the new creative industries."

SAE Institute, the world's largest provider of creative media education, recently opened a Cape Town campus in a bid to offer creative certificates to South African students. The Institute, which offers both short courses and full-time courses in Film, Audio, Animation and Interactive Media Design, provides the hands-on experience and creative technology which local students need to compete in the global marketplace.

"Cape Town is a hub for creative activity and we are seeing many local school-going students interested in the various creative fields. Whether it’s computer animation, audio engineering or studying to become the country’s next big film director – local creative students are definitely poised to increase SA’s ‘cool quotient’ on a global scale," commented Eva Grotzinger, Cape Town Institute Manager.

Note to Editor

Please contact Lucy Kenny re: interview requests. SAE are available for comment.

For more information on SAE Institute or the global study, please visit www.sae.edu

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Lucy Kenny
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