Businesses

Text: Digital Jobs. Building Victoria’s Digital Workforce. Victoria State Government.

Glenn Watson - Global digital Capabilities & Analytics Manager, Ego Pharmaceuticals

We partnered with the Digital Jobs Program because we saw a real strong need to help realise the digital growth within the company and build upon our technology and our capabilities within the department. And, so we saw this program as a really great benefit to tap into a new pool and a new talent of digital specialists.

Andrew Groth - Executive Vice President, Infosys and Region Head

We're bringing in people with a diversity of experience. They come from different industry sectors. Over 80% of the people that came into the program with us are now working for us in full-time roles.

Isabella Jorgensen - Lead Designer, Strong Room AI

We are a very fast growing company. We've grown from six people to about 40 in the last 18 months. So we've really had quite a big skills gap, particularly within marketing. It was an area where we had no idea what we needed so bringing someone in was a great opportunity to learn from them and they could learn from us and help us grow.

Anthea Corridon - General Manager of People Partnering, Carsales.com Ltd

They've really been able to contribute in ways that we probably wouldn't have expected, or when we compared to a graduate, have been really different and been really beneficial for our organisation.

Text: Digital Jobs. Building Victoria’s Digital Workforce. Vic.gov.au/digitaljobs. Victoria State Government.

[Victoria State Government. Jobs, Skills, Industry and Regions. Authorised by the Victorian Government, 1 Treasury Place, Melbourne]

We’re looking for eligible businesses to host one (or more) mid-career participants for a minimum of 12 weeks. Participants come with extensive work and life experience from prior careers and are newly trained and ready for an entry level digital role. Throughout the selection process you’ll have the opportunity to be matched with someone who is right for your work culture and the specific role you have available.

Participants complete 12 weeks of training in high-demand digital skill areas.

Courses vary from round to round and include:

• Artificial intelligence (AI) / machine learning
• Cloud computing
• Customer relationship management (CRM)
• Cyber security
• Data analytics
• Digital marketing
• Enterprise resource planning (ERP)
• IT operations and support
• Product management
• Programming / software development
• Project management (agile)
• User experience / user interface (UX/UI)
• Web development.

For rounds 10 and 11 the streams are:

• Cloud computing
• Data analytics
• Digital marketing
• IT operations and support
• Programming / software development
• User experience / user interface (UX/UI)
• Web development.

Access – to a new talent pool of mid-career people with cutting-edge digital skills.

Current skills – employ people recently trained through high-quality digital courses.

Better business results – the experience and maturity of Digital Jobs participants enables them to make an immediate and significant contribution to the work of your team.

Greater diversity – increase the diversity of your workforce through our talent pool which includes 59% women, and 63% who are culturally and linguistically diverse. Participants come from varied backgrounds and bring experience from working across a wide range of sectors – and they’re ready to help your business thrive.

Low risk and low cost – it’s easy and free to register. The 12-week work placement provides an opportunity to decide if your participant is the right fit for your business, with no obligations beyond the 12-week period.

As a Digital Jobs business host, you’ll have access to this unique talent pool and may be eligible to receive a wage subsidy for each 12-week work placement or entry level job you offer to a program participant.

Employers must:

1. Be one of the following entity types:
   1. a company incorporated in Australia
   2. an incorporated trustee on behalf of a trust
   3. an incorporated association
   4. a partnership
   5. a joint (consortia) application with a lead organisation
   6. a [registered charity or] not for profit organisation
   7. a publicly funded research organisation
   8. an Australian local government body
   9. an Australian state or territory government body.
2. Operate in Victoria (meaning the work placement opportunity/ies to which your application relate, must be located in Victoria)
3. Hold an Australian Business Number (ABN)
4. Have current WorkCover Insurance (or equivalent) for an unlimited amount that shall include liability under statute or common law
5. Be registered with Worksafe
6. Have met all industrial relations obligations as an employer in accordance with the National Employment Standards
7. Have not had any working conditions breaches in the last five years
8. Comply with the Fair Work Act, 2009

Eligible businesses may be provided with a wage subsidy for each participant you host for a minimum of 12 weeks. You will also have support throughout the placement journey.

When you apply to become a host employer, we will contact you to organise a discovery call to discuss your needs. We will promote your role and provide a shortlist of the most suitable Digital Jobs participants for you to interview.

This simplified recruitment process saves you valuable time and effort.

Work placements, for the purposes of this program, are paid entry level digital positions. They are intended to provide the participant with an introduction to the business and/or industry and allow them to apply and extend digital skills in the context of the host business’s operations and current projects.

Most participants will be suited to entry-level digital roles as their technical knowledge will primarily be foundational. However, their prior work and life experience will ensure they have valuable transferable and soft skills, enabling a faster trajectory in your business.

The work arrangements for placements may be in-person, online, or a combination of both. This will depend on the arrangement you mutually agree on with the participant and regulations outlined by WorkSafe.

After providing a position description for your role/s, we will organise a participant showcase meeting. This is your chance to review the participants shortlisted for your role/s and select who to interview. You can organise interviews directly through us. We will facilitate the scheduling process, ensuring a seamless experience as you connect with potential hires and delve deeper into their skills and experiences.

To inform your decision on appropriate remuneration for your participant, you should refer to the relevant award for your business's sector or industry. You can also use the salary range for similar jobs advertised on Seek as a guide. We can provide an indicative salary guide on request.

There is no obligation to retain participants beyond the 12-week placement. You’ll have the opportunity to offer the participant a job or act as a referee for them. You are also more than welcome to take on new participants in future rounds.

Round 10 started in August 2024 and Round 11 commences in November 2024.

A talent pool of digitally upskilled participants is always available, without restrictions on how many participants you take or how regularly you host them. You could choose to host one or multiple participants at first and return for more at a later period or choose to regularly host participants for the duration of the program.

Contact us to discuss how access to this talent pool can benefit your business.

[Digital Jobs. Your time is now. Victoria State Government]

[Vision: View of John walking through office]

John Austin - Studied cyber security and data privacy. Now works at Carsales as a Cyber Security Specialist

My name is john Austin and my current role here at Carsales is a Security Analyst.

[Vision: View of John working at computer]

For about the last 30 years I’ve been working in the IT industry and I was finding it difficult to get a job so I thought one way that I would be able to find employment was to maybe pursue a different career.

Anthea Corridon - General Manager - People Partnering, Carsales

[Vision: View of Anthea and John walking through office and talking to each other]

Finding digital talent is Australia in particular is extremely challenging.

Australia doesn’t have enough skilled digital professionals to meet the demand of industry.

I’m Anthea Corridon, I’m General Manager of People Partnering at Carsales.

We have seen our team double/triple in size and the demand for digital skills has really increased within our organisation.

John Austin - Studied cyber security and data privacy. Now works at Carsales as a Cyber Security Specialist

[Vision: View of John working at computer]

From the Digital Jobs Program I chose a short course with RMIT and doing the data privacy and the cyber security program.

So my typical learning day was sort of stretched out over a week, couple of hours each day.

[Vision: View of Anthea and John talking to each other in the office]

Sometimes on the weekend I would spend some time doing project work etcetera, but I was fortunate enough to be able to take my time with the course.

Anthea Corridon - General Manager - People Partnering, Carsales

[Vision: View of Anthea and John talking to each other in the office]

Short-term I think for the candidates, the real opportunity is getting that industry experience, so trying to put some of those skills you learned in the course into practice.

Long-term the program sets them up really well to evolve and build their digital career.

[Vision: View of Anthea and John talking to each other in the office]

I think for other businesses getting involved it would be go in with an open mind, be open to looking at people who don’t have that traditional education in STEM or digital skills, look at the experiences that they can bring from their previous work, from their previous life, their maturity and their general willingness to start a new career in digital has been really beneficial.

John Austin - Studied cyber security and data privacy. Now works at Carsales as a Cyber Security Specialist

[Vision: View of John working at computer in the office]

Over the program I feel that I’ve changed in a positive way, I have a lot more confidence in my abilities to take on new skills, to take on especially in the digital workspace, and it just gave me an overall confidence and a new lease on my career.

[Vision: View of John posing in front of computer in the office]

[Digital Jobs. Your time is now - vic.gov.au/digitaljobs. Victoria State Government.

[Digital Jobs. Your time is now. Victoria State Government]

[Vision: View of Ghada walking through office]

Ghada Mahmoud - Associate Digital Innovation and Cloud Engineering PwC Australia

My name is Ghada, I enrolled in Cloud Computing.

My current role is Data Engineer in PwC Consulting Australia.

[Vision: View of PwC logo in office building and Ghada and Asanga talking at table

I was a Telecom Engineer, I had a Bachelor Degree in Telecommunication Engineering.

Asanga Lokusooriya - Partner, PwC Australia. Digital Innovation and Cloud Engineering

My name is Asanga Lokusooriya, I’m a partner at PwC Australia.

[Vision: View of Asanga talking with Ghada and other staff member]

Digital Jobs Program is a unique and innovative program.

[Vision: View of Ghada talking with another staff member. View of Asanga talking with Ghada and other staff member]

The program provides the necessary tools for today and for the future.

Ghada Mahmoud - Associate Digital Innovation and Cloud Engineering PwC Australia

[Vision: View of Ghada talking with Asanga]

The program here in Australia is a local experience, it’s a big hurdle for me.

[Vision: View of Ghada working at computer]

I already have the skill but I don’t have the confidence to start a new career here and actually Digital Jobs helped me to have this opportunity.

[Vision: View of Ghada talking with another staff member]

I was keen on trying the new things and I was having the passion for cloud technology.

After I heard about it from my friends I studied at Australian Institute of ICT.

So studying was very flexible, I always have the ability to study whenever through the day whenever I want, and the best thing is also doing it online.

Asanga Lokusooriya - Partner, PwC Australia. Digital Innovation and Cloud Engineering

The best thing about the program is actually getting to know these talented individuals.

[Vision: View of Ghada working on computer]

PwC traditionally did not attract people from mid-career individuals, so without the program I would not have met them.

Ghada Mahmoud - Associate Digital Innovation and Cloud Engineering PwC Australia

[Vision: View of Ghada posing for photograph]

I’m feeling more confident than before.

My experience here and in digital job it’s really great.

[Digital Jobs. Your time is now - vic.gov.au/digitaljobs. Victoria State Government.