Target Australia formerly named Lindsay’s, and then it became Lindsay’s target, but it has no relationship whatsoever, to Target Corporation USA. Target is a mid-price department store owned by Wesfarmers and is the largest department store chain currently operating over 275 stores. Some of the products they sell include homewares, cosmetics, clothing, consumer electronics and fitness machines.
As the largest department store chain, they employ hundreds of people of all ages. Many youngsters start their first part-time summer jobs at Target. Many go on to become managers after years of experience and education. However, many youngsters want to know who the youngest employable person that Target Australia will hire is?
While it is a pretty straightforward question, we’ll have to provide a more detailed answer to better understand who stands a higher chance of gaining employment at the company. However, we’ll need to start with Australia’s employment law.
What is the Minimum Working Age in Australia?
As mentioned earlier, the first step is to examine what’s the minimum working age in Australia. However, before we do, it is important to outline that the minimum age while 13, tends to vary slightly from one state to the next. However, what plays an even bigger role in if a young person getting employed is what industry they are trying to enter. Some industries like the adult film, adult beverage, finance etc. can’t legally employ anyone under the age of 18. Also, industries like fishing can’t employ young people because most of the work requires hard labour. Hard labour is illegal for anyone under 18, and is often referred to as ‘child labour.” So, the work needs to be light and easy for youngsters. That being said, employers can’t solely discriminate based on age, because that too is against the law.
An employer who discriminates solely based on age can be reported. However, there are many instances where it is imperative for the individual to be at least 18 years of age if not older, to perform the required job. For instance, an accountant may be required to sign checks, deposit money etc., all of these functions can’t be performed by anyone under 18. That said a young person can be employed in the accounts department but tasked to handle other aspects of the job like entering data, making PowerPoint presentations etc.
As a job applicant, make sure that you familiarize yourself with the age requirements on the industry. However, the retail industry or the one in which Target operates is a little tricky. The industry has dozens of positions that need to be filled, and every position may require someone with either a particular skill set or also within a specific age bracket. The good news is that Target is very open about who they will hire to fill a specific position and why.
Minimum Age Requirements Across Workplace Types
Target is a department store chain, but many different positions need to be filled across each store and at the head office. As a young person, who aspires to work at Target, you need to start by focusing on where you want to work. Do you want to work stacking the aisle, in the inventory department, warehouse or at the cash register? Each one of these jobs has different experience and age requirements.
While a 14-year old can get a job stacking the aisle at Target, for instance, it can’t be the alcohol aisle. Also, Target will always employ a young person for a probationary period during which they need to prove that they can do the job. Since not all 14-year old boys and girls are equal, Target as an employer wants to give everyone the opportunity to prove themselves, which in most cases means following orders.
How Old Should You Be To Get a Job at Target?
Generally, based on our research, you need to be at least 14 years of age to get a job at Target. Though in most states, 13 years of age is the minimum, Target Australia seems to on average employ 14-year old teens both male and female alike. However, the vast majority of jobs are available for people who are at least 18. That’s why you stand a better chance of working at Target at 18 as compared to 14 or even 15.
The jobs you can expect to do at Target will mostly be mundane, everyday tasks such as labelling and tagging products. Target may also hire youngsters for such things as record keeping, and data entry. However, it depends on how the person’s analytical skills and their willingness to learn, more than their age.
Target Has the Same Minimum Age Requirements as Other Department Store Chains
It is worth mentioning that Target’s minimum age requirements aren’t unique to the business. In fact, Target’s minimum age requirements for employment are the same as other similar store chains across Australia. It is safe to say that 14 is the average age for a teen under 18 to gain employment at Target. However, there are instances where the store may hire someone younger, i.e. 13.
Target is one of the best places to work for young people who want to get a feel for working in a professional environment. Its SOPs, excellent staff and a friendly atmosphere make it a hospitable place for both part-time working youngsters or those to take up ad-hoc jobs during their holidays. Plus the wage they (Target) offers is highly competitive, which is another reason why many youngsters choose to work at Target in addition to other more well-reputed Australian and international chains.
