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IT sector says efforts to fix skills crisis falling short
Federal and state governments have already spent millions investigating ways to fill thousands of empty jobs.
However, IT workers argue that government money would be better spent hiring graduates for big projects so they can get valuable on-the-job experience
"The decline in manufacturing and the end of the mining boom suggests that Australia needs to find its competitive strength," said Chris Walton of Professionals Australia, the union representing IT workers.
"And the fact is IT is essential to innovation and productivity."
More than 21,000 new information technology jobs are expected to open up in Australia in the next three years, but the industry says efforts to meet that demand are falling short.
The Australian Workforce and Productivity Agency issued a report earlier this year outlining the changes needed to fix the problem.
"Around 45 per cent of small businesses don't yet have an online presence, and in the future that's going to be absolutely critical," study chairwoman Marie Persson said.
"The whole global economy is happening, but possibly business is not quite realising how quickly."
Mr Walton says that even the companies building an online presence and updating equipment will not hire inexperienced workers.
He is calling on the Federal Government to bridge the gap by hiring IT graduates for major projects.
"We've got this vicious cycle where companies only want experienced people, and head-hunt from each other, pushing up wage rates, but aren't doing the development of the new graduates," Mr Walton said.
"So we need to break that circuit and the only way we can see is for government, through its procurement, to require grad programs to be part of the procurement tender," he said.
IT industry in need of makeover
Due to the nature of the IT industry, Australian companies often find the skills they need for a lower price by sending work offshore.
The Australian Workforce and Productivity Agency acknowledges that it is a risk to local jobs.
Ms Persson says state and federal governments are trying to build an IT workforce that can compete on a global scale, but she wants Australia to take some tips from places like the United Kingdom.
"They just cancelled their ICT [information and communications technology] curriculum and started again," she said.
"I think we have sometimes in our workforce a possible 'just in time' philosophy."
Ms Persson says Australia's IT industry is in desperate need of an image makeover, and that more women should be encouraged to enter the sector to help build the required workforce.
"There's been this sense that it's young male dominated, that it's sitting at a desk, that it's boring," she said.
"I think the message has not necessarily got through to the people who are advising young people about the future."
Met andere woorden, er is genoeg IT werk in Australie
Federal and state governments have already spent millions investigating ways to fill thousands of empty jobs.
However, IT workers argue that government money would be better spent hiring graduates for big projects so they can get valuable on-the-job experience
"The decline in manufacturing and the end of the mining boom suggests that Australia needs to find its competitive strength," said Chris Walton of Professionals Australia, the union representing IT workers.
"And the fact is IT is essential to innovation and productivity."
More than 21,000 new information technology jobs are expected to open up in Australia in the next three years, but the industry says efforts to meet that demand are falling short.
The Australian Workforce and Productivity Agency issued a report earlier this year outlining the changes needed to fix the problem.
"Around 45 per cent of small businesses don't yet have an online presence, and in the future that's going to be absolutely critical," study chairwoman Marie Persson said.
"The whole global economy is happening, but possibly business is not quite realising how quickly."
Mr Walton says that even the companies building an online presence and updating equipment will not hire inexperienced workers.
He is calling on the Federal Government to bridge the gap by hiring IT graduates for major projects.
"We've got this vicious cycle where companies only want experienced people, and head-hunt from each other, pushing up wage rates, but aren't doing the development of the new graduates," Mr Walton said.
"So we need to break that circuit and the only way we can see is for government, through its procurement, to require grad programs to be part of the procurement tender," he said.
IT industry in need of makeover
Due to the nature of the IT industry, Australian companies often find the skills they need for a lower price by sending work offshore.
The Australian Workforce and Productivity Agency acknowledges that it is a risk to local jobs.
Ms Persson says state and federal governments are trying to build an IT workforce that can compete on a global scale, but she wants Australia to take some tips from places like the United Kingdom.
"They just cancelled their ICT [information and communications technology] curriculum and started again," she said.
"I think we have sometimes in our workforce a possible 'just in time' philosophy."
Ms Persson says Australia's IT industry is in desperate need of an image makeover, and that more women should be encouraged to enter the sector to help build the required workforce.
"There's been this sense that it's young male dominated, that it's sitting at a desk, that it's boring," she said.
"I think the message has not necessarily got through to the people who are advising young people about the future."
Met andere woorden, er is genoeg IT werk in Australie
