The Andrews Labor Government of Victoria, Australia is taking steps to provide hundreds of new opportunities for locals to start new careers in the digital sector. The Minister for Industry and Innovation, Ben Carroll, recently visited Victoria University to hear about the success of the $63.8 million Digital Jobs program and to welcome new recruits for its sixth round.
The program, which was launched in August 2021, is designed to support mid-career professionals through intensive training courses that last for 12 weeks. These courses aim to provide qualifications and skills in areas such as cyber security, IT support, digital marketing, and business analytics. After completing their training, participants are then matched with a Victorian business for a 12-week job placement.
In this latest round of the program, a $2.5 million investment will support 800 more candidates to complete their training. Additionally, eligible Victorian employers can also receive a $5,000 wage subsidy towards the cost of employing candidates during their 12-week internships.
“We’re supporting Victorians to transition into digital careers and open the door to exciting new work opportunities, by backing them with the training they need and a foot in the door”
— Ben Carroll, Minister for Industry and Innovation
Since its launch, the Digital Jobs program has helped match more than 740 Victorian businesses with over 2,500 candidates, providing them with a range of experiences, talents, and transferable skills. The program is inclusive and supports mid-career professionals, women, people from regional areas, and those from culturally diverse backgrounds to find jobs in the digital economy. To date, 56% of candidates have been women, while 65% speak a language other than English, and 13% live in regional Victoria.
Several top Victorian employers have found the digital talent they need through the Digital Jobs program, including carsales.com Ltd, PwC Australia, CBA, Amazon Web Services, MYOB, Salesforce, and Computershare. GrantGuru CEO Adrian Spencer is one employer who has benefited from the program, taking on several new employees, including former hospitality worker David Nicholson, who now works full-time as a developer.
With around 87% of current jobs in Australia requiring digital literacy skills, and Deloitte forecasting that Victoria will need an extra 33,000 technology workers by 2024, the demand for digital skills is high. The Digital Jobs program is a step towards meeting this demand and providing skilled workers for jobs of the future.
Minister for Industry and Innovation, Ben Carroll, said: “We’re supporting Victorians to transition into digital careers and open the door to exciting new work opportunities, by backing them with the training they need and a foot in the door.”
Victoria University Vice Chancellor, Professor Adam Shoemaker, added: “Digital skills have never been in such high demand—particularly across Melbourne’s west. Victoria University is very proud to provide this essential training through our award-winning VU Polytechnic.”
Businesses can register for an online information session on 8 February 2023 or find out more at www.vic.gov.au/digital-jobs/businesses.
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