Many have chosen to ditch the pre-COVID burnout and follow their dreams instead.

For some, this has meant finding a better work-life balance. For others, it has involved taking a risk and stepping into the big unknown of start-up businesses or new careers.

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But not many people are choosing to run away with the circus, with Silver's latest reincarnation heading to Shellharbour in January with at least 10 positions open.

Keith Brown, director of the Sesame Street Circus, can't quite understand it.

As a teenage dream-chaser himself - he ran away with the circus at 14, and has built up his own circus empire in the decades since - he sees no reason why he doesn't have people queuing up to join his multi-skilled, multicultural family that, in normal years, is travelling all around the country performing.

The circus, resident for the past six months at Majura Park in Canberra, is desperately seeking new staff to help it run smoothly. But Mr Brown says no one is applying for the jobs, despite the offer of full-time contracts, decent wages and accommodation.

"No one wants to get jobs. I don't reckon people want to work," he said.

Mr Brown said the company needed lighting technicians, mechanics, front-of-house staff, a marketing team and stagehands. In the meantime, these jobs were all being done by the performers and permanent staff.

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He said a shortage of staff was something he had never encountered before and it seemed to be an industry-wide problem.

"People in the industry have said to me that they can't find any labourers," he said.

"A lot of people who used to work in the industry have gone back overseas. But there are jobs going here, and it is very glamorous - you get to travel."

Mr Brown could be forgiven for feeling flat these days. His circus company has performed for about six months of the past two years and has been caught in several lockdowns in various states.

Stuck in the nation's capital for months on end due to the pandemic, the company has been bleeding money while struggling to stay afloat.

Although the circus had reopened and performing at full capacity, Mr Brown said he was losing $100,000 a week during Canberra's recent lockdown, and beyond individual assistance the company was receiving no money from the government.

But the future is bright; the Christmas edition of the Sesame Street Circus Spectacular is set to perform Shellharbour throughout January 2022.

This story first appeared in the Canberra Times.

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