The University of Technology Sydney (UTS) is teaming up with an Australian telecommunications company to develop the skills and capabilities students will need for the future workforce.
According to a recent press release, the demand for talents studying network, software engineering, cybersecurity or data analytics is at an all-time high.
In fact, in the next 5 years, Australia is expected to have a shortfall of 60,000 information and communication technology (ICT) workers.
This leaves the country vulnerable to tackling some of the biggest issues disrupting society.
The Partnership
- The University and one of the country’s biggest employers are committed to addressing the looming skills shortage.
- This will be done through placements and work-integrated experiences, research and innovation opportunities, and more development including early access to career opportunities.
- The company’s Chief Executive Officer shared that this partnership will help build Australia’s technology talent and close the gap between the supply and demand of highly-skilled professionals.
- According to him, he saw how technology has changed the workplace. Some roles evolve while others disappear entirely.
- Being confronted with the realities of a workforce that is changing faster than ever before, they must think hard about the talent pipeline for the current and future business needs.
- The University’s Deputy Vice-Chancellor & Vice-President (Innovation & Enterprise) shared that the partnership will bring the company’s expertise into the campus and classrooms via industry challenges and guest lectures.
- The partnership will enhance the employability of the students and provide a strong pipeline of potential talent for the company as well as the broader tech community.
- It will support the upskilling and reskilling of their existing workforce.
- It aims to support community and social development initiatives to attract increasingly diverse talent interested in technology and provide them with career pathways and study options.
- As a leading technology university with partnerships embedded throughout the 2027 strategy, this exemplifies how the university strives to enhance student graduate attributes through personal and industry-based learning experiences.
- The students will learn skills they will use for a lifetime, to the benefit of the Australian workforce and the university’s partners.
- This partnership provides an opportunity to support greater diversity in all its forms as they look to the future.
- The technology industry is a male-dominated space, but they are committed to ensuring the pipeline of future talent is diverse from its beginning.
- To do this, the partnerships will look at ways to build curiosity in technology careers and engage a broad range of people before they reach university, including high school student outreach programs.
- The Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) will remain in place for at least two years.
