Making money offering work experience

Interested in making more money and doing less work? Why not get someone to do your job for you, and pay you for that privilege. Does this sound too good to be true? Read on to find out more about making money offering work experience.

On a recent holiday in New Zealand, my family and I visited a town in the South Island called Akaroa. It is home to an unlikely entrepreneur: the postie.

He operates the Eastern Bays Scenic Mail Run. You can join the postie on his four and a half hour circuit, whizzing along secluded unpaved roads, visiting hideaways and enjoying breathtaking scenery for the $45.

The Eastern Bays Scenic Mail Run is listed as a must do in many of New Zealand’s adventure travel books. Such a simple, innovative and entrepreneurial idea: the postie enjoys some company on his run, has a spare set of hands to help him to do his job and the opportunity to earn additional income.

Does your business lend itself to an additional income opportunity that you may not have yet considered? Are people interested enough in what you do that they will pay to spend the day with you? Are there potential customers who want hands on work experience doing what you do? Is there something unique that your business has to offer, that people want to be a part of?

A florist could offer classes in decorative floral arrangements and then on sell the finished product.
A horticulturalist could offer lessons in creating a vegetable garden, while getting the students to work in his garden.
A fabric designer could offer screen printing classes, printing the fabric she requires for the next batch of clothes.

Then there are make up artists, photographers, craftspeople… all have jobs others find fascinating.

A word of caution: you may be able to earn extra income, but you should not lose focus on your core business. I suggest, too, you guard your businesses secrets or competitive edge.

Personally, I support voluntary mentoring, offer work experience and partake annually in my alumni, Griffith University’s Mentoring Programme; however people place higher value on a product or service if they have to pay for it.

Sometimes as adults we are reluctant to partake in work experience, but may be more than happy to pay for the same opportunity.

What do you think? Is there an opportunity for you to make money by getting someone to do your job for you, and to pay you for that privilege?

Heather Smith, an MYOB Certified Consultant and Specialist Trainer, provides business management software solutions which generate accurate and timely financial information that the business owner can use and understand.

6 comments | Add your own

20 years ago it was easier to do what you suggest and I used to give painting classes (no longer) from my home studio. Nowadays there is too much red tape. With many solos it is not possible to offer work experience because the public liability insurance does not cover them. If working from a home office there are other local restrictions. Our local council restrictions restrict anyone working for money or otherwise in a home office to one family member. Again, in our area if anyone is starting a new home office or wishes to expand, council requires a minimum of one car parking space for disabled plus disabled access and facilities to the home office. For service industries who do not have customers coming to the home this is totally unreasonable. The best option is to hire a venue for giving classes - but make sure your public liability insurance covers you and the students at the venue. It is essential to check your insurances and local permissions first. Perhaps others could share the red tape they run into as well? This is a large problem to many of us that the government ignores because it is considered too hard to address. KC from NSW
Thanks for your comments KC.
The message below arrived in my inbox recently & seems in line with your thoughts KC.
Noah In Australia

In the year 2008, the Lord came unto Noah, who was now living in Australia, and said, 'Once again, the earth has become wicked and over-populated, and I see the end of all flesh before me. Build another Ark and save 2 of every living thing along with a few good humans.'
He gave Noah the plans, saying, 'You have 6 months to build the Ark before I will start the unending rain for 40 days and 40 nights.'
Six months later, the Lord looked down and saw Noah weeping in his yard - but no Ark.
'Noah!' He roared , 'I'm about to start the rain! Where is the Ark?'
'Forgive me, Lord,' begged Noah, 'but things have changed. I needed a building permit. I've been arguing with the inspector about the need for a sprinkler system. My neighbours claim that I've violated the neighbourhood zoning laws by building the Ark in my yard and exceeding the height limitations. We had to go to the Shire Council for a decision.
Then ERGON demanded a bond be posted for the future costs of moving power lines and other overhead obstructions, to clear the passage for the Ark's move to the sea. I told them that the sea would be coming to us, but they would hear nothing of it.
Getting the wood was another problem. There's a ban on cutting local trees because the Nature Conservation authorities say it will upset the balance of the local ecological system.
I tried to convince them that I needed the wood to save us all from extinction - but no go!
When I started gathering the animals, the RSPCA prosecuted me. They insisted that I was confining wild animals against their will. They argued the accommodation was too restrictive, and it was cruel and inhumane to put so many animals in a confined space.
The traffic authorities said it would take six months after completion of the ark to plan a route to the sea. I told them also that the sea would be coming to my back yard. They threatened to have me committed.
Then the DPI ruled that I couldn't build the Ark until I had arranged and conducted an environmental impact study on your proposed flood.
I'm still trying to resolve a complaint with the Fair Trading group on how many 'Stolen generation' persons I'm supposed to hire for my building crew.
The State Government has insisted that I provide them with a list of the people who want to work so that they can check that they are not from the non designated group.
UNIONS say I can't use my sons. They insist I have to hire only Union workers with Ark-building experience.
To make matters worse, the ATO seized all my assets, claiming I'm trying to leave the country illegally with endangered species.
So, forgive me, Lord, but it would take at least 10 years for me to finish this Ark.'
Suddenly the skies cleared, the sun began to shine, and a rainbow stretched across the sky.
Noah looked up in wonder and asked, 'You mean you're not going to destroy the world?'
'No,' said the Lord.
'The Australian Government has beaten me to it.'
I think it is important that if you do not agree with what the government is doing, do something constructive about it. Heather Smith from BRISBANE | Read my articles
Amen. (I agree) KC from NSW
Clever, but check your legal liabilities situation and insurance position first! Grant Hyman from Sydney | Read my articles
Heather, what you're suggesting sounds quite altruistic and therefore pretty worthy. And the NZ postie case seems to prove that. But having spent 35 years in major ad agencies here and in NZ prior to becoming a soloist, I have to tell you that "work experience" in the ad industry is usually code for "let's get some fresh ideas that we don't have to pay for; and let's sell them for significant fees that we don't have to share." Instead of 'experience', the correct word is 'exploitation'. No way to treat young minds (or older ones for that matter). If a job's worth having done, and the result is worth having, then my moral code says it's worth paying for. Cheers Garry Thompson from Gold Coast
Heather I like the idea, but can see the legal ramifications clearly, as succinctly outlined in your Noah example. I am a great believer in work experience though as it got me my first proper job, and can be great for both parties. Johanna Baker-Dowdell from Wamberal, NSW | Read my articles

6 comments | Add your own

Add Your comments

Preview comment

Name

Website *

Town / city and country

Email (never sold, displayed or given away)

* This will link your name to your site. So please avoid self promotion elsewhere! We delete spam, disrespectful or off-topic comments.