Our Press

More young Indigenous people will be able to make their mark on the technology industry with the help of not-for-profit organisation Generation Australia.

“Just when I thought I’d never have a ‘conventional’ job again – I came across an ad…” Carrie grew her career as an analyst programmer, IT services manager, and product manager for a range of employers, from large government departments to small global startups.

As any employer knows, the struggle to find good talent isn’t new. However ‒ thanks to rapid digitisation brought on by the Covid-19 pandemic, extended border closures and a growing skills shortage ‒ it seems that familiar battle has entered a critical new era. Finding employees with the skills to meet the dawning moment is, well, daunting.

“It feels like we’ve found this amazing channel of people and I don’t want to tell anyone else because it’s great for us,” laughs Deirdre McIntosh, Senior Director, Workforce Planning and Execution at consulting company Avanade.

EDUCATION-to-employment provider Generation Australia will embark on a three-year partnership with Bank of America to support First Nations Australians into in-demand roles as a result of a $2.5 million (US$1.8 million) funding commitment from the bank.

“First Nations Australians face significantly more barriers to access meaningful employment than the average Australian, and lack of cultural understanding or unsupportive work environments create further challenges in employment,” Generation Australia CEO Malcolm Kinns said.

The impact of COVID-19 has caused everyone to rethink the global trends that businesses followed before 2020. Assessing the effects of technology on businesses has become more important now than ever.

“This is why Generation Australia is collaborating with industry leaders such as Accenture and Microsoft to create new pathways from education to employment.

Employers around Australia are facing problems filling positions. What started in 2021 with millions of employees globally quitting their jobs in search of better possibilities has turned into a full-fledged crisis for many businesses.

“The influence of Gen Z in the workforce has helped to push diversity, accessibility, and flexibility in the workplace. In 2022 and beyond, becoming an employer of choice will increasingly depend on whether the organisation has created an environment where people from all walks of life can find meaningful employment.

Generation Australia has crafted a charter that commits signatories to finding solutions to systemic unemployment facing some sectors of the community. These include recent migrants, Indigenous people and those with a disability.

“We are sitting at 4.1 per cent unemployment, but there are still many pockets in the community where there just aren’t jobs for people, particularly for those from disadvantaged backgrounds, and especially in future-facing jobs,” said Mr Lydon.

While the recent 15 per cent pay rise for aged care workers is a long-overdue boost to those already employed, more needs to be done to attract new people to the sector.

Traditional education to employment pathways overlooks this ‘hidden’ talent. However, with the right support, these motivated employees can overcome barriers to find meaningful careers, improving personal outcomes while solving the skills shortage.

TechDiversity is delighted to spotlight impactful programs that align with the Australian government’s goal to create 1.2 million technology-related jobs by 2030.

Recognising the need for more inclusive recruitment strategies, Westpac collaborated with Generation Australia to develop this cadetship program, focusing on areas like Cybersecurity, Cloud Technology, Web Development, and Data Analytics.

Operating across 18 countries globally, the Australian not-for-profit is pioneering the integration of industry into its training programs.

“We’re a demand-driven model. Our connection with employers comes at the start to understand what roles they’re struggling to fill, such as those in cyber security, cloud computing and web development,”