Former ACT Chief Minister and puzzle lover Kate Carnell answers quickly when asked what sort of job her teenage self would look for in 2017: something in coding and apps.
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"The challenge for the future is making life easier," she said.
"I think that's really interesting and incredibly challenging."
The Small Business Ombudsman has encouraged teenagers and their families preparing for future employment to think outside of university and focus on areas of need, including in information technology, aged care and the service industry.
"There is a focus on university degrees, but let's be fair - we're graduating more lawyers and probably journalists and a few other areas ... than we need," Ms Carnell said.
"The dilemma with a range of those uni degrees where there are more graduates than there are jobs means you've then got to do something else often, or see that degree as just a starting spot to another career."
Ms Carnell will chair a community forum next week aimed at helping Canberra teenagers and parents prepare for the future world of work.
It will be held the first night of the two-day Canberra CareersXpo. The joint Rotary Club of Canberra City and Education Directorate event will feature more than 100 booths from universities, colleges, trade training and career placement organisations from throughout Australia.
The theme - Choose Wisely: Matching Course Choice to Career Realities - reflects the organisers' wish to help students future-proof themselves in a fast-changing world, club management committee chairman Len Goodman said.
The event will be free and feature a jobs wall offering casual and full-time job opportunities for young people. More than 8000 teenagers from Canberra, Queanbeyan and surrounds are expected to attend.
"The aim is for a one-stop information bank for students as they face choices to equip them for the prospect of multiple career paths in an evolving job market," Mr Goodman said.
Ms Carnell will chair a panel including Canberra Business Chamber chief executive Robyn Hendry, businessman Brand Hoff, Australian National University pro vice chancellor Mick Cardew-Hall and Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry employment, education and training director Jenny Lambert.
"The advice I'll be suggesting is to look at the things you're really interested in, not the things you think you should do," Ms Carnell said.
"The realities of the future of work is really about doing things that you can be passionate about, that really get you up in the morning, something you feel is good for you."
The forum will be held August 2 from 5.30 to 6.30pm at the EPIC conference centre in Mitchell. Registrations available online.
The expo will be held 9.15am to 5pm on August 2 and 9.15am to 2.30pm on August 3, also at EPIC.
