More than half of all Australians believe they will need a backup career plan at some point in their working lives, according to new research that lays bare the anxiety gripping the nation's workforce as artificial intelligence and rapid technological change continue to reshape industries.
A YouGov survey of 1,000 Australians, commissioned by UNSW College, found 57 per cent of respondents expect to need a career "Plan B", with 12 per cent saying they have already had one in mind for more than a year. More than six in ten believe they will have at least three distinct careers during their lifetime.
Workers question whether their education prepared them for today's workforce
The survey also revealed a growing sense among workers that their original education has left them ill-equipped for the demands of a modern workplace. 46 per cent of all workers said they were unconvinced their initial education pathway had adequately prepared them for today's job market. That figure climbs among younger cohorts — 47 per cent of Millennials and 50 per cent of Gen Z employees shared the same view.
UNSW College chief executive Sarah Lightfoot said the results reflect a workforce navigating genuinely difficult conditions. "We are living through a period of unprecedented change and understand how daunting it is for Australian workers to navigate their careers in this complex, uncertain environment," she said.
"This is why it is absolutely critical that our education sector steps up to provide flexible pathways that give learners the skills they need to thrive today and long into the future," Lightfoot added.
The findings come as concerns about AI's growing footprint in professional life intensify. AI is already transforming how professionals across a range of sectors operate, adding urgency to the question of how workers future-proof their careers.
One IT worker's decision to go back to school
Sydney-based Boris Ryavkin, 22, is one of a growing number of Australians choosing to return to formal education rather than wait for change to catch up with them. In October, the IT worker will begin a Bachelor of Information Technology at UNSW College — one of the institution's new applied degrees that blends classroom learning with real-world, practical experience.
Ryavkin said the decision is less about starting over and more about deliberately steering his career in a more technical and senior direction. "It's actually more so about upgrading and having a pivot towards more of a technical role and more senior role," he said. "I feel like with an applied degree there will be plenty of opportunities to be hands-on and then apply it in my future career."
His choice reflects a broader pattern identified in the research: many Australians are not abandoning their fields entirely but are instead seeking to deepen or redirect their existing skills to stay competitive as job requirements evolve.
Why Australians are reconsidering their careers — and what's holding them back
Career coach Kate Richardson said the surge of interest in career pivots stems from a combination of personal desire and external pressure. On one hand, she said, there is a cultural shift toward accepting that a single lifelong career is no longer the norm. On the other, genuine uncertainty about the future is prompting people to act.
"I think it's in part because we recognise that we have permission now to explore different careers — we don't need to do the same thing throughout our life," Richardson said. "But equally I think things do feel uncertain at the moment, and that's in part because of the changes in industry, because of the advent of AI and other technological change."
She noted that those contemplating a career switch tend to wrestle with similar fears: whether they will have to start from scratch, whether it is too late to change, whether they have the right skills, and how to choose the right new path.
Richardson's advice is to resist the urge to have everything mapped out before taking action. "People often get stuck when they're thinking about a career Plan B, and so I always encourage people to cultivate their explorer's mindset," she said. "That means letting go of needing to have everything figured out, and instead just opening their minds to two or three different options and taking small steps to explore."
She also recommended speaking directly with people already working in areas of interest as one of the most practical first steps anyone can take — a low-risk way to test whether a new direction is genuinely the right fit before committing to retraining or study.
What the findings mean for Australia's education and training sector
The research points to a significant opportunity — and responsibility — for education providers to rethink how they deliver learning to working adults. Applied and flexible degree programs that combine theory with industry-relevant practical experience are increasingly positioned as one answer to the skills gap that so many Australians feel they face.
With more than half the workforce already mentally preparing a Plan B, the pressure on institutions to offer accessible, meaningful pathways for career changers and upskillers alike shows little sign of easing.
