Here’s How Australia Can Get To 1.2 Million Tech Jobs

Improving education and upskilling employees are vital for the future of work. As Australia builds its tech sector, here’s how you can do your part.

According to the Tech Council of Australia, Australia needs 1.2 million tech jobs by 2030. That is like hiring all of the ACT and Hobart combined.

So how do we get there?

Hosting our first ever Lumination Insight Series event, we talked about Australia’s richest resource, its people, and how we can use tech to thrive in uncertain times.

Bringing in key leaders from industry, government and education, they outlined simple steps we can take to:

• Empower students with the technical skills necessary for the future of work
• Learn how to upskill staff by creating inclusive, safe environments
• Prioritise critical thinking and real-world problem solving.

Tech for everyone

Would you consider a career in tech?

Our first speaker, Kate Jones, Executive Director at Tech Council Australia said, looking back, she didn’t think she would end up in tech. But when given the opportunity, she decided to jump in.

Her concern is that so many young people don’t see themselves fitting into a tech role — so how can we change that?

First and foremost, exposure. Introducing students to emerging technology in the classroom is key. Technology should be an enabler for learning embedded into day to day activities, making it seem less intimidating. By making tech more accessible at a younger age, we can address the tech divide created in the early stages of learning.

Don’t be afraid to give your students the floor. They may know more than you do when it comes to technology, and that’s okay. Empower them to use what they already know to lead their peers, bringing everyone along for the ride.

There’s no stress in progress

Making changes in our education system can be a focus area. We also need Australians already in the workforce to be prepared to pivot.

To upskill employees, we need to create environments built on vulnerability and growth, not fear.

Accidentally falling into the tech sector, Dr Eva Balan-Vnuk quickly fell in love with the industry. As the Executive Director, Chief Information Officer at the Department of the Premier and Cabinet, Government of South Australia, developing a growth mindset as a leader means saying, ‘yes, and’ rather than ‘yes, but.’

What does this environment look like?

• Employees should be able to experiment, fail and try again. Getting up to speed on new tech can be intimidating. When you give your employees permission to be vulnerable, creating safe spaces for learning and failure, they may be more open to taking their career in a new direction.
• Companies should support employees through their upskilling journey. As their employer, you may not need to pay for their brand new four year degree. Look for course-based opportunities where employees can build confidence by earning the microcredentials they need.
• Human first. The great Maya Angelou once said, “People will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.’ By adding humanity back into the tech sector, we can make everyone feel welcome.

Don’t forget the soft skills

Aussies will experience an average of twelve job changes in their lifetime according to Dr Marissa Bond, Head of Technology at Lumination.

Continuous learning will be part of our professional lives, especially the lives of our youth. We need to give our students opportunities to think critically and be creative, developing the soft skills they will need to succeed.

One way to encourage the development of soft skills in the classroom and workplace is through the use of virtual reality. Not only are VR learners more confident in applying what they’re taught, but they are more emotionally connected to the content, making it more meaningful.

Be the change

You have an opportunity to drive growth in the tech sector, no matter your current job title. Let’s start working together to build pathways to an equitable tech sector rooted in humanity and built for everyone.

Here’s how you can be the change:

• Find cross collaboration opportunities to keep the conversation going
• Nurture a growth mindset across workforces
• Support non traditional pathways of learning and education that support skills such as critical thinking and real-world problem solving
• Empower people to take a journey in lifelong learning across the use and application of technology
• Create psychological safe spaces and when anxious take a deep breath to ensure your brain is telling your mind and body that you are safe

Read more on this topic in our blog post Australia’s Engine Room: Using Tech to Thrive in Uncertain Times or see how our Lumination Learning Labs can transform the way you teach, learn and work.