Until the 1980s Australia had a protected economy, and
many people had secure jobs with good pay and conditions.
The pressures of globalisation changed all that.
Our economy is now more exposed to international competition,
which means that we must compete more actively with other
countries for jobs and market share.
While Australia continues to perform well in the global
economy, many ordinary Australians are working much longer
hours than they used to, and reporting increased levels
of stress. Also, Australia has the second highest
rate of casual and short-term contract employment in
the developed world, so many Australian workers face
constant uncertainty in their careers.
To make the most of your employment opportunities in
the global economy, you probably need to be:
