Westpac opens tech hub in the Sunshine State

Westpac has opened a new technology engineering hub on the Gold Cost, to expand its technology, engineering and training capabilities.

The bank claims that it will create up to 200 additional jobs in the Sunshine State in the next few years, with up to 130,000 new residents expected to move to Queensland in the next five years.

According to Chris de Bruin, Westpac chief executive consumer and business banking, “The hub will focus on bringing together software engineers, technologists and data specialists who can work in partnership with our digital teams to make banking simpler and faster for our customers and bankers through new technologies.

“It also gives residents the opportunity to join a large-scale organisation and build a career in the banking sector.”

The technology hub has been designed with software engineers in mind, according to Wespac’s chief information officer, consumer and business banking, Paul Bari.

“We’ve made significant progress modernising our technology systems and infrastructure, not only for our customers but for our people as well, and the hub has been tailored with the latest tools and technology to ensure our engineers are able to work as efficiently as possible and be able to focus on the fun stuff — developing solutions,” Bari said.

“We also want to tap into the latent talent pool and opportunity that exists across the country, and with a growing number of Australians seeking hybrid working options or a regional move, we’ve chosen the Gold Coast to combine the best lifestyle, career and growth opportunities into what we see as Australia’s own ‘Silicon Beach’ where tech and innovation meets the sun and surf.”

Westpac is working with local universities to develop a graduate program offering experience in technology roles such as software engineering or project management.

“Not only do we want to hire as many great engineers as we can, but we also want to foster the next generation of technologists and encourage more students to consider a career in the sector,” Bari added.

With the Gold Coast being one of the fastest-growing economies in the country, the hub reflects growing private sector investment in the state.

According to Treasurer and Minister for Trade and Investment Cameron Dick, “Gone are the days when Queensland and its regions were considered second or third choice as a location to set up a major new investment project or business operation.

“With companies the calibre of Westpac increasingly setting up new high-value operations here, it’s clear to many that Queensland is a leading place to invest.”

Dick said that the Covid-19 recovery in Queensland has seen an acceleration of investment projects and a competitive job market that is attracting skilled workers from across the country.

“An enviable lifestyle, competitive property costs and an increasingly skilled and educated workforce are compelling reasons to move operations to Queensland,” he said.