Australia is “not on track” to satisfy the federal authorities’s objective of 1.2 million know-how‑associated jobs by 2030, in line with new financial information from its Division of Business, Science and Assets (DISR).
The goal, which was set by business foyer group Tech Council of Australia and adopted by the federal authorities in 2022, would not be met in time, primarily based on up to date jobs figures publicly reported in DISR’s newest annual report on Tuesday.
Rising the variety of tech-related jobs in Australia is among the division’s key efficiency measures, and one it admitted it had not met.
“The measure was not met as the trajectory is not on track to reach the target by 2030,” DISR stated.
“… A decline in [three] successive quarters throughout the year indicates a potential ongoing trend.”
Whereas DISR had met its objective of sustaining a trajectory in direction of 1.2 million tech jobs between 2022 and 2024, it stated numbers have been not on observe following a drop of round 31,000 tech jobs within the yr to Might 2025.
This was a 3.7% decline because the identical time in 2024, whereas Australia’s broader labour market grew by 2% in that interval, DISR stated.
Australia had round 950,000 tech employees as of Might 2025, discovered the division, which steered the determine might proceed to hover under 1 million primarily based on a mean of the eight most up-to-date quarters.
The biggest contributor to the decline in know-how jobs prior to now yr was a 3.9% drop in such roles in non‑know-how industries, in line with DISR.
“There was also a 3.6% reduction in technology jobs in technology industries, which was consistent with global trends, and a 3.2% reduction in non‑technology jobs in technology industries over the same period,” the division stated.
Industries equivalent to vitality, healthcare, and schooling had seen will increase prior to now eight quarters, however DISR discovered the drop in know-how jobs “aligned more closely with declines in some traditional industries”.
These included info, media, and telecommunications (down 6.9%), manufacturing (down 2.3%), and administrative providers (down 2%).
The Division of Business, Science and Assets says tech jobs have dropped within the final three quarters. Picture: DISR / Provided
Australia ‘should spend money on individuals’
Whereas numerous organisations have outlined and measured Australia’s know-how sector in several methods, the Australian Laptop Society (ACS) — the writer of Info Age — had forecast that the nation would attain 1.2 million tech employees by 2030.
The society’s newest Australia’s Digital Pulse report, produced yearly by Deloitte Entry Economics, steered Australia would have nearly 1.48 million tech employees by 2035.
ACS CEO Josh Griggs stated DISR’s newest numbers confirmed Australia “must invest in people as much as in technology”.
“Growing Australia’s know-how expertise pipeline requires a coordinated, long-term strategy,” stated Griggs, who added ACS hoped to encourage college students to pursue know-how careers.
“We also support tech-adjacent workers transitioning into digital roles and help existing professionals continually upskill as technologies evolve as every business is a tech business,” he stated.
Tech Council of Australia stated it was “closely analysing” the most recent tech job figures.
“While there has been some fluctuation, the tech sector continues to be one of the fastest growing sectors in Australia and we remain optimistic that the 1.2 million jobs goal by 2030 is achievable,” a spokesperson instructed Info Age.
“Achieving this goal will take continued collaboration between government and industry and that means improving pathways to tech careers, building digital skills across the economy and making sure businesses can access the talent they need.”
A spokesperson for the Minister for Business, Innovation, and Science, Tim Ayres, stated the federal authorities was “committed to giving Australians the skills they want, for the jobs we need – especially in tech-related roles”.
“Since the Albanese Government’s Free TAFE program started in January 2023, there have been more than 65,000 enrolments in technology and digital sector courses,” they stated.
“In addition, our Building Women’s Careers program has funded several partnerships aimed at growing the tech workforce.”
ACS’s newest Australia’s Digital Pulse report discovered realising a possible $25 billion financial enhance over the following decade partly required addressing digital expertise gaps and upskilling non-tech employees.
“A range of initiatives” have been in place to offer Australian employees the abilities to tackle technology-related jobs, DISR stated.
These included range in STEM initiatives and packages targeted on AI, quantum, and rising know-how graduates.
Job cuts hitting tech employees
Expertise employees have just lately confronted job cuts at giant companies equivalent to Amazon, Intel, Microsoft, and Telstra, whereas a number of main Australian banks have confronted criticism for redundancies which have included tech-related roles.
Australia’s nationwide science company CSIRO can be anticipated to lose tons of of workers this yr.
Some employers have additionally reported hiring fewer entry-level employees amid the rise of extra succesful generative AI applied sciences.
Federal company Jobs and Expertise Australia has steered such applied sciences have “a greater capacity to augment work than automate work”.
It discovered roles in information entry, record-keeping, accounting, and communications have been amongst probably the most susceptible to potential automation.
Australia’s total unemployment price has risen since mid-2022, and reached 4.5% in September — the best seasonally adjusted unemployment price recorded since November 2021.
The nation’s service industries — these circuitously associated to producing bodily items — have pushed nearly 90% of employment development over the previous decade, in line with Jobs and Expertise Australia.
This story first appeared on Info Age. You may learn the authentic right here.
