Diversity could increase number of full-time roles in tech sector: ACS

Creating more diversity and inclusion within the tech sector could increase the number of full-time equivalent roles by nearly 14,000 per year on average for the next 20 years, according to new research.

The ACS, Digital Pulse 2022 report, noted that realising the diversity dividend, however, will require businesses to crack down on discrimination in the workplace.

For the first time, Digital Pulse looked deeper into the diversity of the sector and found only 0.66 percent of the workforce identified as Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islanders, which is five times lower than the national population share of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders (3.3 percent), while 45 percent of tech workers were born overseas.

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

Senator Nita Green, Senator for Queensland and Special Envoy for the Barrier Reef, said, “The technology workforce is less gender diverse with women only making up 31 percent of the workforce. As the report says, boosting the sector's diversity, not just in gender, is a relatively quick and reliable way to start addressing the talent shortage.

“This year, the share of women in technology occupations increased by 1.86 percent to 31 percent, the highest level since the digital pulse report was launched in 2014. It's a start, but we do need to do better.”

As the Australian technology sector continues to grow, 1.2 million people are expected to be working within the industry by 2027.

The report highlighted that the nation’s tech workforce grew by 8 percent 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 percent.

Technology jobs are paying better than equivalent industries, the report proposes the ways the nation can address the chronic IT worker shortage, including boosting the sector’s diversity and building the skills pipeline, the report said.

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

ACS CEO Chris Vein said, “If we can build workplaces supporting diverse workforces and flexible working conditions, we can do a much better job of retaining current workers as well as attracting new workers.

“This year’s Digital Pulse report outlines the opportunities the technology sector offers to Australians. As we outlined in our election platform, technology is essential in keeping industry and the economy growing.”

In the report, ACS recommends seven measures to address the skills shortfall:

1. Develop and promote workplace policies to encourage diverse technology talent
2. Provide school teachers 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.

Dr Nick Tate, president at ACS said, “With the Federal Government’s Jobs and Skills Summit approaching, Digital Pulse makes a strong case for boosting technology training at school, vocational and tertiary levels.”