How can we prepare our workforce for a future in tech?

Tech will shape the future of work. But with so many roles emerging and not enough people to fill them, how can we prepare for this massive demand for skilled workers?

Some are claiming that in the future of work, every job will be a tech job. Job advertisements on SEEK mentioned tech has increased from 10 per cent in 2016 to 13 per cent in 2022.

Similarly, the Australian Computer Society said there will be one million tech workers by 2024 and 1.2 million tech workers by 2027, equating to a 5.5 per cent average annual growth rate.

So how can we prepare for this future of work? Well, according to the Break Down the Barriers report by Accenture, commissioned by Microsoft, increasing support for alternative career pathways is the way to bring more people into the tech sector.

The report claims that businesses are shooting themselves in the foot by including the need for a bachelor’s degree to apply for tech jobs. It was reported that 90 per cent of advertisements for STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) jobs require a degree.

“We have a real opportunity to make a difference. Gone are the days when candidates need a degree to be considered for a role,” said Tenielle Colussi, managing director of talent and organisation at Accenture Australia.

“By removing barriers and ensuring job opportunities are open to those who have alternate pathway experience, or offering programs that include alternative pathways, we’re not only solving for a talent gap, but creating exciting and fulfilling opportunities for amazing individuals who would have remained hidden in the workforce.”

Not only will this approach to sourcing talent uncover a variety of talented candidates, but it will better an organisation’s diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI), as the report reveals that underrepresented groups often don’t have the degrees behind them.

According to Accenture, just a third of university students studying STEM-related subjects are women and only one in 20 has a disability. Meanwhile, just one in 100 identifies as a First Nations person.

If these talent pathways are utilised, Accenture believes that the workforce will have access to around 1.1 million more skilled workers in the tech field, plugging the skills gap.

The Tech Council of Australia predicts that we will need 186,000 more tech workers to reach the government’s target of 1.2 million tech-related jobs by 2030.

By diversifying our recruitment techniques and qualifications needed to apply, we could take advantage of a new group of keen and talented workers, many of which come from marginalised backgrounds.

The report listed three industry-level actions to help diversify Australia’s tech talent market:

1. Launching an awareness campaign that showcases the careers of successful candidates from under-represented backgrounds, who have come through alternative pathways
2. Creating a digital apprenticeship to make tech roles more accessible and attractive to under-represented groups
3. Defining skills standards and pathways to reduce confusion around the required skills and simplify access to information