Drive by Friday

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Drive by Friday –

Why We Need Fresh Talent in Novated Leasing, Salary Packaging & Fleet Management

It’s no secret — our industry is full of highly experienced, dedicated professionals who’ve been doing incredible work for decades. But here’s the thing - we’re not exactly overflowing with new faces. When was the last time you met a 25-year-old who told you, “I’ve always dreamed of working in Novated Leasing, Salary Packaging or Fleet Management”? Exactly.

Most of us “fell into” this career path — and once you’re in, you see how rewarding and varied it can be. But from the outside? Many younger people don’t even know our industry exists, let alone the career opportunities it offers. That’s a problem if we want to keep innovating and serving customers in the years ahead.

So how do we bring in fresh talent?

Tell our story better
This isn’t just paperwork and policies — it’s helping people drive cars they never thought they could afford, it’s advising businesses on smarter fleet strategies, it’s delivering real financial benefits. That’s exciting, and we should talk about it with that energy.

Create pathways
Work placements, internships, graduate programs — anything that opens the door for young professionals to see what this industry is about.

Mentor and share knowledge
The experience in our industry is gold. Pairing seasoned professionals with newcomers can pass on those insights while giving the next generation confidence to grow.

Modernise the pitch
Flexibility, technology, career progression — these are what younger workers are looking for. We have all of that (and more), but we don’t always market it well.

And here’s the exciting part for the next generation:

EVs and sustainability
Young people want to work in industries that are making a difference. With electric vehicles and green fleet strategies growing, our industry is at the centre of Australia’s sustainability shift.

Tech and data
From fleet telematics to digital salary packaging platforms, there’s real innovation happening. For tech-savvy talent, this is an industry where their skills can shine.

Impact and lifestyle
Novated leasing isn’t just finance jargon — it literally helps people improve their quality of life by making vehicles more affordable and accessible. That’s a great story for purpose-driven workers.

Future-proofing isn’t just about systems and fleets — it’s about people.

If we don’t invest in attracting and nurturing talent, the skills gap will widen, and our ability to innovate will shrink. But if we can show the next generation how dynamic and rewarding this industry really is, we’ll have a workforce ready to drive it forward for decades to come.

Maybe the question isn’t “Where are the young people?” but “What can we do to make sure they want to be here?”