3 Easy-to-Train-For Jobs to Augment Your Retirement Income

According to quite a few financial experts, the average Australian is going to need a balance approaching $1.6 million in their super at retirement to live comfortably through their golden years. At a glance, most Australians probably see that number and shake their heads. That's because right now, the average super balance is hovering well below that for those nearing retirement. How low? For men over 60, the average is $270,710, and for women, it's only $157,050.

Needless to say, numbers like that indicate that there are quite a few Australians who are going to have to rely on the age pension to meet a significant part of their retirement income needs. It also means that many won't be able to enjoy the same lifestyle that they had during their peak earning years. Both of those realities are already fuelling a big influx of older Australians back into the workforce – and they're not being welcomed with open arms.

Clearly, retirees need a better strategy to earn extra money in retirement beyond trying to pick up where they left off in the workforce. What they should be doing is embracing retraining and upskilling to find work in fields where they'll be able to secure employment. To help them in that quest, here are three jobs that Australian retirees can train for to augment their retirement income.

Health Coach

One of the best jobs any retiree can take on is that of a health coach. It's a position that involves helping people achieve their health goals by adopting better diets and making smarter lifestyle choices. It's perfect for those over sixty for a variety of reasons. The first is that the training to become a health coach is something that anyone, at any age, can handle. The second is that the skills and knowledge required to do the job are just as applicable for the retiree themselves to keep in good health as they age. The third is the fact that the job pays an average hourly rate of $58.96 and demand for the services of health coaches is exploding all over the country.

Bookkeeper

Another excellent job that retirees can use to earn some extra income is bookkeeping. It's a role that's needed by businesses of all types and sizes around the country. It's also a profession that features a lower-than-average unemployment rate and that exhibits stable growth. And all it takes to become a bookkeeper is to earn a level II/III certification in the field, which is something that anyone with even a basic aptitude for mathematics can handle. The best part of all is that the vast majority of bookkeepers in Australia work part-time, which means a retiree with a flexible schedule makes a perfect fit – and they'll earn an average of $27.98 per hour for their work.

Private Tutor

One of the many benefits of reaching retirement age is the fact that it comes with a lifetime of practical knowledge and experience. As it turns out, retirees can leverage that and turn it into a second career as a private tutor. Depending on their specific skill set, it's possible for retirees to find work helping students with their studies in multiple subjects. Those that decide to become tutors will become part of a billion-dollar industry in Australia and should be able to find ample work, regardless of where they live. Also, tutors tend to work seasonally, which fits quite well into the lifestyle of the typical retiree. All it takes to get started is to earn accreditation from the Australian Tutoring Association (ATA). Doing so opens the doors to a variety of open tutoring positions, which pay an average of $29.53 per hour.

How to Get Started

It's important to note that seniors and retirees who are interested in training for any of these three (or any other) jobs to earn some extra income can often do so with very little in upfront costs. In fact, pensioners may even be eligible for an education supplement that's specifically designed to help them afford retraining in a new field. That's a big part of the government's push to encourage seniors to become less dependent on the age pension as they get older.

That doesn't mean, however, that it's always necessary to forego the age pension to embrace one of these great jobs. That's because it's possible to apply for what's known as a work bonus, which allows seniors to earn up to $250 per fortnight without seeing a reduction or elimination of their pension payments.

That's another reason why the three jobs identified here work especially well for seniors. You can do any of them on your own schedule, working as much or as little as necessary to fit within your overall retirement financial plan.

So, to all Australians who are approaching retirement age or who have already reached it and who aren't sure how they'll make their financial resources last through their golden years: take heart. There are plenty of great jobs that will help you to keep the lifestyle you've worked so hard for throughout your life. All it takes is a little retraining and a willingness to work - which should present no problem for most – and you'll be able to keep living the life you want for as long as you want. The opportunity is there. All you must do is grab hold of it.