Media release

Over 5,000 Territorians now work in tech

Northern Territory continues to outpace national tech jobs growth but report warns NT businesses are losing $14m due to skills gap.

• ·       In 2022, the Territory’s tech workforce grew 8.4% to 5,300 workers. This was substantially greater than the national increase of 6.6%.
• ·       This is predicted to grow to 7,519 by 2030.
• ·       The sector contributed $425 million to the NT economy in FY22, as measured by value add.
• ·       Over 500 technology businesses are headquartered in the Territory.
• ·       The report projects $2 billion annual technology investment in NT in 2030.
• ·       130,000 NT workers who will need some reskilling because new tech will affect at least 20% of work time.
• ·       Outdated digital skills are costing large NT businesses $14m each year.
• ·       Issues of digital inclusion remain acute for First Nations peoples, with a considerable 7.5 percentage points gap between First Nations peoples and non-First Nations peoples.
• ·       The application of AI in areas such as indigenous art is an area of concern for First Nations communities.
• ·       A lack of digital connectivity also creates challenges for economic development in regional and remote areas across the NT.

5 March 2023 – for immediate release

Over 5,000 Territorians are now employed in the technology sector according to the latest ACS Digital Pulse Report, with NT’s tech workforce continuing to grow faster than the rest of nation.

Prepared each year by Deloitte Access Economics for ACS, the annual snapshot of the national IT workforce found the Northern Territory’s technology sector employs 5,300 workers, an 8.4% increase on last year’s numbers.

ACS Northern Territory Chair, Damian Charles, said: “this is the second year in a row we’ve seen the Territory’s tech workforce grow by over 8% which underscores how important technology is to the Top End.

“This year’s report highlights the benefits of that growth along with a range of issues the NT faces as emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence and robotics change society, we also need to address how these technologies and their applications will affect indigenous groups and how we can harness them to benefit remote communities.

“An important statistic is that Territory businesses are losing $14m a year in loss productivity due to a lack of digital skills and at ACS we’re delighted to be working with the Territory government to address that.”

This year’s Digital Pulse, to be launched on Wednesday, is the ninth since the annual survey of Australia’s technology sector was first released in 2015. Key Statistics from the report include:

·       A lack of the right digital skills is currently costing Australian businesses $3.1 billion each year which could top $16bn by 2030.

·       The pace of technology investment in Australia is projected to skyrocket from $171B in 2023 to $259B by 2030, this rate of growth is three times faster than overall business investment.

·       By the end of the decade, half of Australian businesses will be using AI, data analytics and robotics but technologies like Generative AI mean businesses will need to do more to keep up with their employees shifting skills and demands.

·       75% of working hours for Australian workers will be affected by key technologies, heralding a significant skill shift across industries.

In the national report, ACS proposes a National Digital Skills Strategy including a skills-first education and training initiative, a national skills platform, more support for career transitions towards a tech orientated career, to boost the diversity in tech skills, programs to boost Women in Tech, and assist skilled migrants utilise their capabilities.

The full 2023 Digital Pulse report can be downloaded from the ACS website at www.acs.org.au.

-ENDS-

Further information

Troy Steer

Director of Corporate Affairs and Public Policy

M – 0417 173 740

E – troy.steer@acs.org.au

About ACS

ACS is the professional association for Australia's technology sector. ACS members work across business, education, government, and the community delivering the digital services essential to the nation’s prosperity and security.

ACS exists to create the environment and provide the opportunities for members and partners to succeed. ACS strives for technology professionals to be recognised as drivers of innovation in our society, relevant across all sectors, and to promote the formulation of effective policies on technology and related matters. Visit www.acs.org.au for more information.