The NSW Government is working with digital industry leaders, education and training providers to address a projected shortfall of 85,000 digital workers in the state by 2030. The NSW Digital Skills and Workforce Compact, officially launched at NSW Parliament House by the Minister for Skills, TAFE and Tertiary Education, marks a significant step forward in fostering a robust and inclusive digital workforce for the future.
The collaboration includes 37 compact partners, representing a reach of 1.7 million students and over 340,000 digital workers in NSW. The compact aims to promote digital careers, with a particular focus on traditionally under-represented groups such as women, Indigenous people and those living in regional and remote areas. The partnership will support the development of new employment pathways and provide on-the-job training experiences to build long-term careers in the digital industry.
Key milestones of the Digital Compact include changing perceptions of digital careers, improving diversity, working with industry partners to expand pathway programs, expanding mentoring and networking programs to engage a more diverse audience, providing more opportunities for up-skilling and re-skilling, and establishing a Digital Education Forum to improve technology education and industry partnerships with universities, TAFE, curriculum providers and industry experts.