Some of the most in-demand skills in Australia at the moment are technology-related and workers with a mix entrepreneurial, STEM, creative and social skills will be highly sought after, according to a new discussion paper.
It also suggests that there will be few jobs protected entirely from technological advancement such as automation and that start-ups and tech companies, will be the prime generators of forward-looking jobs in emerging technologies.
The discussion paper titled, Economy in Transition - Startups, was produced in partnership with Expert360, CodeCamp and LinkedIn.
Released by StartupAus, the report states that 4.6 million Australian jobs will be at risk in a decade if Australia doesn’t create a workforce for the future.
StartupAUS CEO, Alex McCauley, said the paper highlights the extensive economic benefits of building innovation hubs which have powerful multiplier effects.
“There’s a lot at stake here - if we get it right, we’ll be able to capitalise on it,” he said. “The findings reveal the very real need for Australia to keep up its momentum on innovation and startup policy.
"This is not a niche area – it’s about what we need to do to help our whole economy manage its inevitable transition.”
“We have two new portfolio Ministers who will be getting across these issues very rapidly and in a very focused way. This paper highlights the need for that urgency and focus.”
McCauley said that as the tech startup ecosystem develops, Australia must be open to importing talent from overseas, and at the same time accept that skilled Australians will move offshore.
“This is a natural part of the modern employment landscape for high skill workers,” he said.
The paper’s author, Colin Pohl, said in the US, approximately 34 per cent of the workforce is already made up of independent workers and he expects a similar trend in Australia.
“Many corporate jobs require specialised skills that are not required on a permanent basis, and infrastructure support for freelancers will facilitate an increasing number of workers operating across a portfolio of briefs based on their specialised talent,” Pohl said.
Code Camp is an example of a startup that’s creating new job opportunities. Its co-founder, Benjamin Levi, said his company was founded two years ago as a solution to provide every Australian student with the opportunity to learn to code, build passion around STEM, and create their own iPhone app.
“Over the past two years we have grown from a team of two, to training an incredible team of over 200 engaging teachers whose priority is to inspire and challenge students in a fun environment.
"We’ve taught over 4300 students in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Wollongong, Bowral, Newcastle and Adelaide. These skills we teach can be adapted to any industry,” he said.
