FSO Project - Digital Knowledge Exchange
Learning and Training Pathways
The Digital Knowledge Exchange brings together states and territories to advance the digital workforce.
The project is driven by four key themes:
Diversity and Inclusion
Vocational Education and Training (VET) Workforce
Learning and Training Pathways
Industry Engagement
Learning and Training Pathways
Enhancing and promoting pathways for people to gain entry-level tech roles or advance their tech career, have been prioritised by State and Territory governments. Current initiatives focus on vocational education and training (VET) programs, vendor certifications, apprenticeships, and other earn while you learn opportunities.
Commonwealth initiatives
National-level learning and training pathways initiatives aimed at improving digital skills across Australia. This includes government policies, funding opportunities, and collaborative efforts between federal and state governments to promote digital capability and workforce development.
Digital Skills Cadetship Trial
This trial supported three cadetship projects to test innovative approaches to meet digital skills needs. It blended formal training with on-the-job learning and mentoring, focusing on cyber security, web development, data analytics, and cloud computing.
Microcredentials Pilot in Higher Education
This pilot assists higher education providers in designing and delivering microcredentials in fields of national priority. It aims to meet industry skills needs and increase access to lifelong learning, with $18.5 million committed to support up to 4,000 students.
Advanced Apprenticeships (Industry 4.0) pilot
The Australian Government's $7.2 million pilot targets small to medium-sized businesses in key manufacturing areas, aiming to upskill, retrain, and reskill employees in Industry 4.0 technologies through collaboration between industry, government, and universities.
Australian Skills Guarantee
The Australian Skills Guarantee sets national targets for apprentices, trainees, paid cadets, and women on major government-funded projects. For Major ICT Projects valued at $10 million or more, targets are negotiated with suppliers to significantly increase the engagement of apprentices, trainees, and ICT cadets. The policy, shaped through extensive consultation, leverages government purchasing power to address skills shortages and gender segregation in the construction and ICT sectors.
Digital Priorities and Initiatives across States and Territories
Priorities and initiatives across the Digital Knowledge Exchange network of State and Territory Government departments.
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Digital Workplace Job Ready
The Digital Workplace Job Ready program offers free digital skills training to prepare participants for administrative and customer service roles. It includes work placements and aims to transition trainees into employment, particularly supporting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students.
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Cross Sector Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Traineeship Program
The Northern Territory ICT Traineeship Program began as a pilot in 2022, aiming to develop digital skills through placements in New Future IT, NEC, Kinetic IT, and the NT Government. The pilot, completed in early 2023, received high ratings. The program is now continuing, incorporating lessons learned, and supported by the ICT Industry Association of NT and the NT Government.
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ICT Gateway to Industry Schools program (ICT GISP)
The ICT Gateway to Industry Schools Program (GISP), funded by the Queensland Government, builds partnerships between schools and industry to enable young people to acquire the knowledge, skills, and attributes to participate effectively in the Queensland economy. The program provides students with a range of learning experiences to assist them in their career choices and pathways to employment. For example, students can pursue pathways into roles such as software development, cybersecurity, and data analysis through partnerships with TAFE Queensland and other Registered Training Organisations. Industry organisations lead each project, developing and implementing tailored school engagement activities in line with their industry's key skills and workforce priorities.
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20% Alternative Pathways Pledge
The NSW Digital Skills and Workforce Compact have introduced a 20% Alternative Pathways pledge to tackle future skills shortages in the NSW tech sector by fostering a diverse talent pipeline. Alternative pathways are non-university routes, including VET courses, traineeships, micro-credentials, earn-while-you-learn models, bootcamps, and vendor certifications.
The initiative is set to add 31,000 workers from various backgrounds, including women, people with disability, and First Nations peoples, bringing fresh perspectives and innovation to the industry. The compact aims to extend its support to small and medium-sized businesses in 2025, encouraging them to join this initiative.
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Career pathways and upskilling the workforce
The ACT Government is committed to building a future-focused skills system, with an emphasis on technology industries. The ACT Skills Action Plan 2024-28 highlights their commitment to mapping clear career pathways and supporting skill development through short courses and micro-credentials. Offering training oppo
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Digital Jobs Program
The Digital Jobs program in Victoria provided 12-week training courses for in-demand digital skills and work placements with Victorian businesses. Over 1000 participants (about 20% of the total) received paid placements, and around 80% continued working with their host employment beyond the initial 12-week placement. The program, which ceased in June 2024, focused on mid-career Victorians and covered areas such as data analytics, digital marketing, and cloud computing.
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Student Pathways
Student Pathways provides students, employers, parents, carers and schools with information on starting a career via a VET pathway. Industries covered include cyber and information technology. The cyber pathway highlights opportunities for on-the-job and off-the job training, VET qualifications, pathways to university and career options.
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Digital Careers
Tasmanian State Service Digital Careers offers pathways into digital and ICT roles, equipping people with essential skills. The Digital Careers Campaign, launched in June 2023, addresses skill shortages by promoting diverse career roles. It targets students, career changers, skilled migrants, and the community. Education options include accredited and non-accredited qualifications, micro-credentials, and various delivery modes.
Case Studies
Examples of successful digital skills initiatives, showcasing impact, insights and best practices.
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Tech trek: How Charlotte engineered her IT pathway
“Traineeships kickstart your career and help develop soft skills, such as time management and communication. These are things that can sometimes be lacking in a traditional education setting like university.” - Charlotte Ross, IT Projects Engineer
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How Jolene found her niche in technology
Within two years of starting at NAB, Jolene realised that programming was not her forte. She believed that her career in technology at NAB was doomed. Fortunately, NAB provides…
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Taking Aussie cyber security talent to the world
“After my first competition, I knew I had to keep going. I strongly encourage others to get involved - it's a game changer for both young people and more experienced professionals." - Sawan Singh, cyber security mentor and judging panellist.
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Exploring the career path of a cyber security consultant
“The fastest way to learn is by putting your understanding out into the real world and having discussions…” - Harry Brown, Cyber Security Consultant
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My pathway towards a rewarding IT career
“All my computer related experience was purely in school. I didn't even have a computer in my house until after I finished university.” - Callie Clarke, Cloud Architect
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Prospect Careers Guide
The Prospect Careers Guide connects students with mining sector opportunities, offering practical advice, real-world case studies, and pathways like apprenticeships and university degrees. It highlights how the industry embraces advanced technology and the top digital skills needed, such as automation and AI.
FSO projects and resources
Developed by Future Skills Organisation (FSO) to support digital skills development.
Understanding digital traineeships for skill development
The Earn While You Learn Project will recommend how to align current digital traineeship qualifications with industry needs, suggest improvements to delivery models, and identify ways to boost the uptake of digital traineeships.
Uplifting Digital Capability
In recognition of the urgent need for digital capability uplift, this project will deliver new digital capability training products based on DigComp. FSO will also make the training available as early as possible through a Training Product Trial (TPT). The TPT will run in parallel with the normal Training Package Organising Framework (TPOF) processes for accredited training products. This means the TPT training products will be in trial and use by expert RTOs whilst the accreditation process is being completed as required. . The TPT aims to get urgent skills into the market more efficiently (ideally around 6 months after commencement of development).
