Kangaroo Island has long held opportunities for people keen to work in tourism and agriculture. Significant increases in economic activity mean that these seasonal industries are growing alongside a plethora of enterprises that need people to work year round.

It’s an exciting time to be working on the Island, with two new jobs a week forecast for the next five years. New infrastructure investment is creating short-term work during the construction phase and long-term in operations. Direct jobs span the tourism, hospitality, farming, forestry industries and the many trades and services to maintain developments into the future.

Major projects are at various stages of development, with associated job creation, including the expansion of the airport, a new golf course, a major resort, a wharf precinct development in Kingscote, forestry, port development and expansion of housing and accommodation options. Many – if not all – of our industries and services are growing to meet increasing demand, from national and international visitors, new residents and investors.

The Island’s Commissioner is leading an ambitious growth and employment initiative known as the transformation program that is getting businesses ready for growth and creating hundreds of new jobs for years to come. This supports skill development through training, coaching, mentoring, traineeships and apprenticeships and provides vital accommodation, housing, community support and other services.

There are many well-resourced opportunities for people seeking work on the Island, including residents; people who are outside the term of their apprenticeship or trainee program; those who have been retrenched; young people who have been unemployed for a long time; those from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds; older workers; and women who are getting back into work and ‘unretirees’.

Of course, you don’t need to come to the Island with a profession; you might want to come for a change. There is every chance you will get to do something for money that you’ve never done before! There are many seasonal jobs, and opportunities for training you might never have considered elsewhere. If you are reliable, enthusiastic and ready to give it a go, you might find yourself doing anything from milking sheep at the dairy, to waiting tables at a restaurant or café, taking groups on a tour, or managing a project for the Kangaroo Island Council.

Of course, in this small community you might not always get to work at exactly what you are qualified to do, at least not full-time. Having more than one job and getting experience and training in new skills is common here but there is also flexibility and time to enjoy your new lifestyle. And even if you are really busy with work, there’s no better place to be busy.

You can work effectively and efficiently without having to negotiate peak hour traffic here, or pay for parking. In fact, without a single traffic light or roundabout, we almost promise you will never use the word “traffic” again! And the beach and bushland is never far away for after-work down-time.