The ICT industry must remove all impediments to attract talented people, not just women, young people or older workers, says AIIA’s Chief Executive Officer Rob Durie.

Speaking at an ICT Participation Summit organised by the Australian Women in IT and Science Entity, Mr Durie told the audience that the battle for specialised workers was a major issue for the industry.

“The ICT revolution is not over, it has only just begun and will result in the transformation of economic and social activities,” Mr Durie said. “But we are seeing ICT enrolments declining, the gender imbalance worsening and older workers finding it increasingly difficult to find well paid work.”

As the peak body representing companies in the Australian ICT industry, AIIA has been concerned for some time over the under-representation of young girls and women in ICT study and work.

AIIA has been involved directly in its own programs, and has supported other groups’ initiatives, (such as the Females in Information Technology & Telecommunications forum), to encourage women to move into the industry.

Despite this, female participation in Australian ICT education and employment has remained low notwithstanding the actions and initiatives by governments, industry and professional bodies, education institutions, and groups representing women.

Mr Durie told the audience that the gender imbalance in the ICT industry was a complex problem which can be addressed only by providing role model and engaging all industry stakeholders along with parents, teachers, career advisors and mentors to find appropriate solutions.

The Summit also examined the implications for Australia’s ICT industry if Generation Y workers were not attracted to the ICT profession.

“For Australia to continue to have economic and social prosperity, we need young people, especially young women to make the decision to study and enter our industry,” Mr Durie said.

“ICT is profoundly changing the nature of employment. Jobs are being, and will continue to be, transformed by information and communications technologies,” he said. “Most jobs now involve technology in some manner and even the narrowest of jobs need underpinning ICT skills. Many jobs require a high level of ICT competency.

“We need to ensure that young people participate in ICT education and training and gain these skills, not only because they need ICT skills to participate in the tomorrow’s labour market, but also they will need basic ICT skills to survive in the modern world.”

For more information on AIIA’s programs to improve the participation of women in ICT, visit our website.

By Harvey Hindin, VP and Senior Analyst, Ideas International

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