Data analytics and IT skills are still in demand by Aussie employers

Employers say they still can’t find workers who have the IT skills they need. This is what to focus on to get a job.

A mismatch still exists between the IT skills that companies need and those that workers hold.

Information technology has long been seen as a key employment competency but experts say skills shortages continue to plague Australian workplaces.

RMIT Online chief executive Helen Souness says data analysis is the most critical skill that workers lack, followed by digital literacy.

Advanced technology skills, including programming, cyber security and block chain, are also in high demand, while managers must improve their understanding of how technology can improve customer experiences and business processes, she says.

Souness says while workers and employers acknowledge the need for IT capabilities, not enough are upskilling in vital technologies.

“The challenge Australia faces is not in understanding what skills they need but in obtaining those skills,’’ she says.

“There’s a gap between where Australians are and where they want to be – which is very much in line with the skills we need as a nation to become a digital leader.

“The bridge that helps us get from point A to point B is learning and, unfortunately, it hasn’t always been effective.’’

Creative digital marketing specialist Katrina Calvi has completed microcredentials in user experience (UX) design in a bid to demonstrate her skills to prospective employers.

Research by RMIT Online has found three out of four Australians want to learn about emerging technologies, with more than half having little to no understanding of coding, block chain, artificial intelligence and data visualisation.

“If Australia can address the skills gap, it will turbocharge the economy,’’ Souness says.

“It will help information and communication technology businesses alone grow by $10 billion by 2025.

“To stand out, every individual should be looking at whether their current role allows them to develop relevant skills and asking their employer to support that through formal education or work projects.’’

IT firm MuleSoft national vice president Marc Caltabiano says all workers must have at least basic data literacy skills, as well as the ability to unlock and integrate data when they need it.

“Following a disruptive year and the resulting uncertainty that continues to loom over businesses in 2021, organisations have a critical need to respond to the needs of their customers faster than ever before,’’ he says.

“The current challenge facing businesses is delivering digital projects more efficiently, while still meeting customers’ growing expectations for truly connected experiences.

“However … only 36 per cent of organisations in Australia have the skills and technology to keep pace with digital projects during the COVID-19 pandemic.’’

Creative digital marketing specialist Katrina Calvi, 30, completed microcredentials in user experience (UX) design in a bid to demonstrate her skills to prospective employers.

“Lots of digital marketers put UX skills on their resumes but I think that having the course on my resume gave recruiters more confidence to see proof of formal training and versatility,’’ she says.

Originally published as Data analytics and IT skills are still in demand by Aussie employers