Tasmania on track to have over 10,000 tech workers

 

State’s IT workforce continues to grow 

 

 

3 August 2022 

 

More than 10,000 Tasmanians will be working in the state’s technology sector within two years, the 2022 ACS Digital Pulse report predicts.

 

This year, the report found the state’s technology sector employs 9,663 workers, a 2,8% increase on the 2021 figure result. Last year’s survey found Tasmania led the nation with a 17% jump in tech sector workers.

 

ACS Tasmania Chair, Ray Leonard, said: “it’s encouraging we continue to see technology being recognised as expanding across all sectors of the economy, albeit not at the breakneck rate we saw last year.

 

“It’s also crucial the Government recognise the requirement for specific strategic policies in relation to future requirements of a technology based Tasmanian economy.

 

“The report highlights the importance of the technology sector to all industries and underscores the need to boost the digital skills of the workforce across the entire economy.

 

“We look forward to continuing to work with the Tasmanian Government and associated groups to ensure the state has the skills and capacity to meet the needs of a Tasmanian Technology future focused digital economy.”

 

Nationally, the report found Australia’s tech workforce grew by 8% over the previous year, with over 870,000 Australians now working in IT roles. By comparison, the workforce as a whole only grew 3.4%.

 

In the next five years the tech sector will employ over 1.2 million Australians, with the workforce having an average annual growth rate of 5.5%, the report found.  

 

Digital Pulse also flagged the need for Australian businesses and government to do more to train workers and encourage greater diversity in the technology workforce. Women represent only 31% of the technology workers, compared to 48% across the Australian workforce.

 

In the report, ACS recommends seven measures to address the nation’s technology skills needs:

 

1.           develop and promote workplace policies to encourage diverse technology talent

 

2.           provide schoolteachers with more resources to improve student digital literacy and increase awareness of technology career pathways

 

3.           greater coordination between agencies to develop skills in the technology workforce

 

4.           further encourage businesses to deepen digital skills in other occupations

 

5.           work to retain existing technology talent in Australia

 

6.           encourage employers to consider more diverse pathways into the technology sector

 

7.           boost government and industry investment in the technology sector.

 

John O’Mahony, Partner at Deloitte Access Economics and co-author of the Digital Pulse series added: “Australia’s tech workforce growth has been astonishing – we will soon have one million tech workers in this country.

 

“Individuals can earn, on average, an extra $11,000 every year in salary in tech occupations compared with other professional occupations. If we can boost diversity in the technology workforce it could be worth over $20 billion to our economy over the next two decades.”

 

Digital Pulse also highlighted how businesses can better retain current workers and attract new staff by supporting diverse workforces and flexible working conditions.

 

The full 2022 Digital Pulse report can be downloaded from the ACS website at www.acs.org.au.

 

 

 

-ENDS-

 

 

 

Further information

 

Troy Steer

 

Director of Corporate Affairs and Public Policy

 

M – 0417 173 740

 

E – troy.steer@acs.org.au

 

 

About Us

 

ACS is the professional association for Australia’s technology sector and the largest community with 47,000+ members from across business, government and education.

 

ACS champions the technologies, people and skills critical to Australia’s future, creating value for ACS members, the tech sector and society in four ways:

 

Community

 

Our focus is on fostering an innovative and inclusive community that is dedicated to powering positive change through technology.

 

Capability

 

We set the standard for assessing, developing and recognising the skills and experience of technology professionals.

 

Career

 

We create career pathways to guide technology professionals and ensure Australia has a pipeline of talent with the right skills and knowledge.

 

Migration

 

We assess and support skilled technology migrants to address critical skills shortages, improve diversity and enrich Australia’s workforce.

 

Find out more at: acs.org.au