The Tech Council of Australia (TCA) has launched a new initiative aimed at boosting women's participation in the technology sector, through mid-career transitions.
The program, called The Next Wave: Women's Tech Transitions, will seek to address the significant gender imbalance in Australia's tech workforce.
Currently, women account for only one in four tech workers.
"Women still represent only one in four tech workers in Australia—a statistic that does not reflect the broader demographics of our society," Damian Kassabgi, TCA chief executive, said.
"To ensure Australia remains a global technology leader, we must do more to increase the opportunities for women to reskill and upskill into tech jobs."
TCA research suggests that women are nearly twice as likely to transition into tech roles mid-career, rather than beginning their careers in the industry, highlighting the importance of focusing on career-switching pathways.
The initiative, supported by a grant from the federal government's Building Women's Careers Program, will be delivered in partnership with TCA members _nology, SEEK, Ubank and Project F.
"In every skills area that's in shortage in Australia has something in common, and that is a really skewed distribution by gender, so we're making this investment to do something about it," Andrew Giles, minister for skills and training, said.
The program will develop a career-switching action plan, interactive workshops and initiatives that showcase the benefits of tech careers while promoting gender equity and inclusion in the sector.
Increasing diversity remains a priority for the TCA as part of its plan to reach 1.2 million tech jobs in Australia by 2030.
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