Australia will have jobs for 653 000 additional tech workers by the end of the decade, training people to fill them is a challenge

“The skill needs of tech jobs have changed rapidly as new technologies are adopted by industry. However training models and qualifications have not kept pace with the needs of industry,” the Tech Council of Australia warns in a new report on how the country can reach a 1.2m tech workforce.

The report is produced for partners including the Australian Technology Network universities and Swinburne U.

The shortfall in training is not for lack of effort – there are 93 education and training programmes across the country however they are not at scale to meet industry needs.

TCA also reports, no accredited courses for “emerging creative and commercial roles” such as product managers, user experience designers and business analysts, occupations, “facing some of the strongest shortages.”

And its report warns the education and training systems are not meeting market, or student needs. While HE ICT enrolments are up, by 180 per cent for postgrad courses, the growth is predominantly driven by international students, who leave Australia. And VET course completions are down.

In response the tech sector is using non-accredited training in required skills but more students need to know about such courses “as part of diverse learning pathways into tech jobs.”  This will require connecting courses to skills standards and updating the Australian Qualifications Framework, “to enable greater flexibility.”