Tech industry aims for 1.2 million jobs, but who will fill them?






The Technology Council of Australia has mapped out a pathway to help the federal government reach its target of 1.2 million tech-related jobs by 2030 in a new report released today.

Getting to 1.2 million is a roadmap to create a thriving Australian tech workforce is the product of a collaboration between tech industry groups brought together at Australia’s Digital Employment Forum.

Launching the report at the forum in Canberra today, the Minister for Industry and Science Ed Husic said the government would act on its five calls for action:

  • Australians lack awareness about what tech jobs exist, or how to get into them
  • Current training products and pathways into tech jobs are not always fit for purpose
  • There are strong demographic skews in tech jobs, with women, older Australians and regional Australians being under-represented
  • There is a small talent pool of people with the skills and experience needed to work in experienced technical roles, which have boomed
  • And Australia lacks coordinated effort, analysis and planning for the tech workforce.

Husic said that Australia will need an additional 650,000 tech workers by 2030 to meet the 2030 target requiring industry and the government to work closely together.”

Husic said: “One of my early priorities as minister will be to organise a roundtable to meet with key stakeholders in the tech sector to work towards shared goals.”

Tech Council CEO Kate Pounder (pictured) said that creating the jobs would not be as difficult as finding the people to fill them.

The jobs goal is an increase of 186,000 over business-as-usual approaches.

Pounder said: “These jobs are critical to Australia’s future. They are amongst the fastest-growing, best-paid, most secure, and most flexible jobs in Australia. They have half the gender pay gap of other high-paying industries.”

Husic has already acted to prioritise training and learning, with the government establishing Skills Australia, and moving to clear the backlog of skilled visa applications.

Husic said: “We will create an environment for success by building our national training system, backing final year student and graduate entrepreneurs, and buying and making things in Australia.

“We will make tech a top priority area for the 465,000 fee-free TAFE places and additional 20,000 university places this Government will deliver.”

Picture: Kate Pounder, CEO, TCA

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