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Industry consultation and collaboration

Mapping out australia’s path to tech jobs future

By Industry consultation and collaboration

An influential forum of key stakeholders in the tech sector is aiming to transform the way Australia attracts and trains tech workers.

Initiated and facilitated by the Tech Council of Australia and the DSO, the Digital Employment Forum (DEF) brings together major technology employers, governments, and educators to work towards shared goals to address the country’s tech talent shortage.

The DEF has demonstrated its strength and effectiveness as a forum for identifying and implementing practical solutions to critical issues, amongst stakeholders.

In a report titled ‘Getting to 1.2 million’, the DEF laid out a roadmap to create a thriving Australian tech workforce, highlighting Australia’s tech jobs opportunity, the barriers the industry face to meet this opportunity, and what industry and government can do to reduce these barriers.

Launching the report at Parliament House in 2022, the Hon Ed Husic MP, Minister for Industry and Science, said the Australian Government would act on the report’s five calls for action: “The report finds that Australia will need an additional 650,000 tech workers by 2030 to meet the 2030 target [of 1.2 million tech-related jobs] and we can only do that if the tech industry and the government works closely together.”

“Our partnership has the potential to improve lives because tech jobs are accessible to people from all walks of life and are well-paid, stable and flexible.”

Kate Pounder
CEO, Tech Council of Australia

August 22, 2023

Partnership and purpose drives scale and efficiency

By Industry consultation and collaborationOne Comment

The digital skills training space comprises many initiatives across Commonwealth, state and territory governments. Although all focussed on digital skills training, these are often developed independently and in different ways. This has prevented digital training programs from scaling up.

To begin to change the way in which digital skills are designed, delivered and assessed, the DSO has acted as the bridge between governments, industry, and key training providers to find a more coordinated approach.

Off the back of the 2022 Australian Government’s Jobs and Skills Summit, the DSO brought together over 40 leaders, from across the states and territories, to explore opportunities for collaboration. Topics included how to increase awareness of job opportunities in technology and how to improve education, training products, and pathways. The outcome was an agreement to get behind three initiatives in 2023 and make them more efficient, scalable and easier to deliver successfully. The first is focussed on digital literacy.

 

“The roundtable has played an important role at this critical time. It has been an opportunity to build upon the work of the ‘Getting to 1.2 million’ report and enabled identification of issues and opportunities for national action. Only by working together can we truly hope to scale up proven programs and work on solutions.”

Trish Mullins

Director Skills Policy, NSW Department of Education

 

“The responsibility for developing digital skills cannot be solely placed on any one group, be it government, industry, education institutions or community. Instead, it is essential that these groups come together and collaborate to surface best practices and practical solutions to address the issues. By working together, we can build the digital skills needed to thrive in the modern economy and ensure Australia remains globally competitive.”

Tiffany Wright
Director Education Australia, Microsoft

June 9, 2023