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The Australian
a day ago
- Business
- The Australian
Future hinges on bridging Australia's digital skills gap
Australia's economic future hinges on the strength and adaptability of its digital workforce. As technology continues to reshape industries, services and the nature of work itself, demand for tech talent is surging – and fast. To keep pace, we need to rethink how we attract, train and support the next generation of tech talent. Traditional career and education paths alone won't meet the scale or diversity of demand. From Agentic and Generative AI (GenAI) to quantum computing and advanced robotics, emerging technologies are redefining how we work, and the capabilities businesses need to stay competitive. Among these advances, GenAI, and now Agentic AI, stand out as the most transformative. Their rapid evolution and adoption are not only reshaping the tools we use, but the very nature of work. A recent Mercer report found that nearly three-quarters of Australian organisations are already experimenting with AI tools, and more than a quarter are actively developing formal AI strategies, particularly within IT functions. Yet from a skills perspective, many Australian organisations aren't prepared to make the most of AI. The Women in Tech report by RMIT Online and Deloitte Access Economics found that over a third of employers say their workforce either lacks or has outdated tech skills. As future-facing technology adoption grows, so too does the need for a workforce that can guide, collaborate with, and govern AI responsibly. To remain competitive in a digitally driven economy, organisations must go beyond building AI capabilities. They must invest in their people, equipping them with the skills, confidence and adaptability to thrive alongside AI, not be left behind by it. Clearly, AI implementation is contributing to a sense of uncertainty and instability in some workplaces. According to Deloitte's 2025 Human Capital Trends report, 75 per cent of thousands of workers surveyed globally feel they need greater stability at work in the future. As AI transforms how work gets done, the role of people leaders must evolve. Managing tasks and outputs is no longer enough. Leaders need to become coaches who help their teams navigate change and develop skills that have the greatest potential to create value for both the organisation and individual. Tina McCreery is Chief Human Resources Officer at Deloitte Australia. We also need more flexible and accessible entry points – especially for individuals from underrepresented or disadvantaged backgrounds. This includes women, who still represent just 30 per cent of the tech workforce. The Women in Tech report identified more than 660,000 women in Australia who could reskill into technology roles in six months through short courses or on-the-job training, boosting their earning potential by more than $30,000 annually. Inclusive, targeted programs have the power to turn this potential into real progress. One program helping lead the way is Deloitte's Digital Career Compass. Designed for people navigating life transitions or barriers to employment, the 12-week program equips participants with foundational tech training, industry-recognised certifications, business readiness skills and one-on-one mentoring. The goal isn't just to upskill, but to create genuine pathways into sustainable tech careers. Katherine, 43, learned about the Digital Career Compass program just a year after a family event had left her in significantly diminished economic circumstances. Through the program, she learned to build foundational technology knowledge and received expert support to apply that knowledge to complete a Salesforce certification. Upon completion, she was equipped not just with technical skills, but the confidence and business readiness to thrive. Though she initially applied for an entry-level role at Deloitte Australia, her performance and potential meant she progressed quickly, not only transforming her career but also bringing much needed talent, skills and capability. Programs like this show what's possible when we empower people with the tools and the opportunity to succeed because as GenAI becomes embedded across industries, the demand for digitally fluent and adaptable talent will only accelerate. Meeting this demand requires more than technical training. We need to continuously embed AI fluency across every level of the organisation. When employees feel confident using AI tools, they're more empowered to contribute, collaborate, and innovate. Equally important is fostering a culture of experimentation where people are encouraged to explore AI hands-on. This builds the resilience, adaptability, and problem-solving mindset that future-fit organisations will depend on. With bold thinking and collaborative action, we can close Australia's digital skills gap and build a workforce that's not only ready for what's next but equipped to shape it. While the challenge is urgent, the solution is within reach. Tina McCreery is Chief Human Resources Officer at Deloitte Australia. - Disclaimer This publication contains general information only and Deloitte is not, by means of this publication, rendering accounting, business, financial, investment, legal, tax, or other professional advice or services. This publication is not a substitute for such professional advice or services, nor should it be used as a basis for any decision or action that may affect your business. Before making any decision or taking any action that may affect your business, you should consult a qualified professional advisor. Deloitte shall not be responsible for any loss sustained by any person who relies on this publication. About Deloitte Deloitte refers to one or more of Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu Limited, a UK private company limited by guarantee ('DTTL'), its network of member firms, and their related entities. DTTL and each of its member firms are legally separate and independent entities. Please see to learn more. Copyright © 2025 Deloitte Development LLC. All rights reserved. -
The Australian
28-04-2025
- Business
- The Australian
Keep an eye on the GenAI gender trust gap
The adoption of GenAI at work, home and everywhere in between continues to gather pace. According to our own estimates, around 40 per cent of Australian employees used GenAI at work last year, up almost 20 per cent on 2023. However, the level of workplace AI usership is not uniform across all demographics – there is emerging evidence of a GenAI gender use and trust gap. According to our 2025 TMT Predictions report, we estimate that just half of Australian women will use and trust GenAI in the workplace, compared with 70 per cent of Australian men. The existence of this gender trust gap is not surprising. Women are far more likely than men to have negative interactions with AI. In fact, we predict that this year alone 90 per cent of deepfake harassment will primarily impact women. This is concerning as AI literacy and proficiency is fast becoming a necessary skill for workers. If women fall behind, it could exacerbate the gender pay gap across a host of different industries. The onus is on business, government and educational institutions to work together to close the GenAI gender trust gap and encourage women to engage with GenAI at work and at home. But where to start? Bec McConnochie is Deloitte Australia national industry and sector lead We believe that well-resourced employers should take a proactive approach to upskilling their workforce, with a particular emphasis on GenAI training modules that encourage female involvement. Pleasingly, there has been some momentum in this area. A recent Women in Tech report produced by Deloitte Access Economics and RMIT Online found that 45 per cent of surveyed organisations offer reskilling and upskilling opportunities specifically to drive gender diversity in their technology workforce. These opportunities are sometimes hosted or developed in association with higher educational institutions and seem to be moving the dial on female participation in the GenAI ecosystem: we currently predict that Australian women will account for 40 per cent of AI-related educational enrolment in 2025. Often, these programs are narrowcast on encouraging female participation in the technology workforce. To be clear, this is a good thing – just 30 per cent of the technology workforce are women, compared to 44 per cent of the wider workforce. Increasing the number of women in the technology workforce and in technology roles will have a flow-on effect, increasing overall female knowledge of, and trust in, GenAI technology. But there is also a need to improve the GenAI skills of women working across a range of business functions. GenAI's application is broad, and the rapid adoption of Agentic AI means its use cases are multiplying exponentially. We believe that some of the industries Agentic AI will have the largest impact on are ones that have a majority of female frontline workforce. These industries include healthcare, the retail trade and hospitality, further underscoring the importance of employers in all industries making the effort to enhance the GenAI proficiency of their female employees. Government and industry bodies have a role to play in promoting and funding reskilling and upskilling opportunities, but they can also help close the GenAI gender trust gap in other ways. In a submission to the Senate select committee on adopting artificial intelligence, the Productivity Commission made the point that these organisations could do this not by seeking to improve trust but by seeking to improve the trustworthiness of AI technologies. In other words, governments and industry bodies should be proactive about setting the appropriate guardrails around AI technologies because if the regulatory settings are right, public confidence will follow. Fortunately, the federal government has been proactive in promoting voluntary codes of conduct following global developments on AI regulation to ensure it is following best practice when developing guardrails. It has also taken specific action to criminalise the non-consensual dissemination of sexually explicit deepfakes that overwhelmingly target women. Getting these guardrails and regulatory settings right is particularly important this year, as we are on the precipice of AI software being a default inclusion in the technology products we interact with every day. For example, we predict that this year will be the first year that the majority of Australian smartphones will be AI-enabled. This presents an unprecedented opportunity for most people to familiarise themselves with the basic functions of AI, an important step on the road to closing the GenAI gender trust gap. With technology like GenAI becoming increasingly central to our lives and to the world economy, we need to remain vigilant and ensure that it is both accessed and understood broadly across all demographics. This way, technology can be an equalising force rather than something that exacerbates existing inequalities. Bec McConnochie is Deloitte Australia National Industry and Sector Lead. - Disclaimer This publication contains general information only and Deloitte is not, by means of this publication, rendering accounting, business, financial, investment, legal, tax, or other professional advice or services. This publication is not a substitute for such professional advice or services, nor should it be used as a basis for any decision or action that may affect your business. Before making any decision or taking any action that may affect your business, you should consult a qualified professional advisor. Deloitte shall not be responsible for any loss sustained by any person who relies on this publication. About Deloitte Deloitte refers to one or more of Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu Limited, a UK private company limited by guarantee ('DTTL'), its network of member firms, and their related entities. DTTL and each of its member firms are legally separate and independent entities. DTTL (also referred to as 'Deloitte Global') does not provide services to clients. In the United States, Deloitte refers to one or more of the US member firms of DTTL, their related entities that operate using the 'Deloitte' name in the United States and their respective affiliates. Certain services may not be available to attest clients under the rules and regulations of public accounting. Please see to learn more about our global network of member firms. Copyright © 2025 Deloitte Development LLC. All rights reserved. -
