According to research commissioned by the Australian Computer Society (ACS), the technical and professional IT and IT management and operations roles are expected to be the fastest growing occupational groups over the next five years.
The latest ACS Digital Pulse report, which was carried out by Deloitte Access Economics, projects that the number of tech workers in Australia will grow by just under 1.2 million by 2027, an increase of 330 000 workers or 5.5%.
Most of this growth will be in technical and professional ICT roles with 156,000 additional workers over the period, an increase of 6.5%, and ICT management and operations roles with 125,300 additional workers , an increase of 6.2%.
E-commerce workers are expected to increase by 4.1%, ICT occupations by 3.9%, ICT industry administrative and logistics support by 3.1%, while ICT sales will remain stable with a increase of 0.3%.
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For specific occupations, the strongest growth will be for software and applications programmers (70,694 additional workers), management and organization analysts (38,900) and ICT managers (31,400).
The ACS said the 5.5% increase also exceeds the expected growth rate for the overall Australian workforce, which is expected to grow 1.6% a year over the same period. .
“The annual growth rate of 5.5% is the highest growth rate expected in any edition of Australia’s Digital Pulse. The historically high growth forecast is in part a reflection of the persistently high growth of tech workers,” the report read.
“The increase in job openings for technology positions, as a forward-looking indicator, also suggests a likely higher growth rate in the coming years. Between 2019 and 2022, job openings for technology occupations technology sector increased by 66%.
Which roles will see the most growth?
The report broke down the specific roles that fall under each occupational group, based on the levels of the Australian and New Zealand Standard Classification of Occupations (ANZSCO).
Technical and professional ICT roles include the following occupations:
- Graphic designers, web designers and illustrators
- Business and ICT systems analysts
- Multimedia specialists and web developers
- Software and application programmers
- IT network professionals
- Telecommunications engineering professionals
- Telecommunications Technical Specialists
- ICT professionals
- Business and systems analysts and programmers
- ICT networks and support professionals
- ICT and telecommunications technicians
ICT management and operations:
- ICT managers
- ICT trainers
- Management and organization analysts
- Other information and organization professionals
- Database and system administrators and ICT security specialists
- ICT support and test engineers
Electronics trades and professionals:
- Draftsmen and technicians in electrical engineering
- Draftsmen and technicians in electronic engineering
- Electronics trades workers
ICT professions:
- ICT support technicians
- Telecommunications workers
ICT Sales
- ICT sales professionals
- ICT Business Assistants
The ICT Industry Administrative and Logistical Support lists “all other occupations where the employee works in a subdivision of the ICT-related industry”, specifically those in telecommunications services; internet service providers, web search portals and data processing services; and computer systems design and related services.
Professional certifications
The ACS report also examines the wider benefits of professionalization for the workforce, in particular how it would help increase trust with customers, improve capabilities and efficiency and innovation from Standards.
He surveyed technology workers on this topic and found that 80% of respondents were willing to undertake professional certification in their field, more than the proportion of workers in professional services occupations willing to undertake professional certification. The ACS cautioned, however, that the results should be interpreted with some caution, stating that only a very small proportion of the tech workforce are certified professionals and that this may reflect a difference between reported attitudes and actions. carried out.
The survey also found that approximately 32% of workers surveyed said their workplace does not place significant value on professional certification or accreditation. “While higher levels of certification in the industry may grow organically through employers and buyers imposing certification and accreditation requirements, it can be difficult for demand to show up when it is not. ‘there are currently no high levels of certification,’ the report says.
Deen Sanders, Deloitte’s senior partner for Integrity, said in the report that companies “could miss significant benefits” by not encouraging higher levels of professional certification among technology employees.
“Employers often think of an organization’s brand and reputation separately from the brand and reputation of their staff, but having higher levels of certified employees in an organization strengthens brand and reputation. reputation of the organization,” Sanders said.
Sanders added that a workforce with higher levels of certification may be able to shield organizations from increased regulatory burden. Professional certifications have imposed greater obligations and codes of conduct on workers to achieve results, and having higher levels of certification can help reduce direct regulation, the report says.
