Australia's tech workforce surpasses one million in 2024

The Australian Computer Society (ACS) has released the tenth edition of its Digital Pulse report, indicating Australia's technology workforce has surpassed one million workers in 2024, representing a 60% growth since 2014.

The report, which was launched by Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles, highlights that despite the growth, an estimated 1.3 million technology workers will be needed by 2030 to meet industry demand. Minister Marles commented, "Like many other sectors right now, IT and tech is needing an uplift in the workforce to support the demands required of it."

Key findings from the Digital Pulse 2024 report show that there are 1.1 million workers who possess skills and tasks similar to those in tech roles, suggesting potential support for future tech workforce growth. Furthermore, the report points out critical shortages in cybersecurity skills, with demand expected to double by 2030, and notes Australia's lagging pace in adopting artificial intelligence compared to global competitors.

ACS Chief Executive Officer Josh Griggs stressed the importance of addressing these challenges, stating, "Australia has long faced a chronic tech skills shortage, but this report makes clear that in the face of a rapidly evolving cybersecurity landscape and strong adoption of AI into the workplace, we need to be ensuring the nation has the skills needed by industry and the community."

Griggs further highlighted, "Technology is touching every part of society, particularly businesses, and for Australia to be competitive globally, we need to ensure the nation has the skillsets required to make the most from these emerging platforms."

Despite a noticeable surge in domestic student enrolment in IT studies during the pandemic, there has been a reported 10% decline in 2022. According to Griggs, "While 70% of all parents would encourage their children to pursue a career in technology, only half of parents outside of technology roles or professional services would recommend tech as a career." He added that boys are over four times more likely than girls to show interest in tech careers, underlining the need for encouraging diversity and inclusion in the tech industry.

The report outlines 12 measures focused on reskilling workers, enhancing diversity, engaging future tech talent, and promoting responsible AI usage to drive the growth of the Australian tech workforce. One specific recommendation is an "earn while you learn" wage subsidy for those pursuing tech careers, alongside a campaign aimed at informing parents about opportunities in tech.

John O'Mahony, Deloitte Partner and author of the Digital Pulse, noted the importance of reskilling or upskilling the workforce: "Over the past decade, Digital Pulse has shown that people reskilling or upskilling mid-career has been of our biggest source of tech talent. This year, Digital Pulse has identified 1.1 million workers with similar skills or experience to technology roles. One of our key challenges for the rest of the decade will be to encourage more people in this group to join the tech workforce."

ACS President Helen McHugh remarked on the significance of the report's milestone, saying, "The tenth edition of the Digital Pulse is a testament to how far we have come as a tech community, but it also serves as a wake-up call for the challenges we must address head-on."

McHugh added, "This report is more than a reflection of past achievements – it's a roadmap for the future. For Australia to remain competitive in the global digital economy, we need to ensure our workforce is equipped to handle the rapid advancements in AI and cybersecurity."

The ACS Digital Pulse report remains an essential resource for policymakers, businesses, and educational institutions aiming to shape the future of Australia's digital economy.