Closing the nation’s AI skills gap
Closing the nation’s AI skills gap
https://www.afr.com/technology/closing-the-nation-s-ai-skills-gap-20260604-p6042k
Publish Date: 2026-06-28 22:42:00
Source Domain: www.afr.com
Using an unordered list, summarize the following article with between 4 and 8 key points. The result is a widening gap between what organisations need and what traditional pathways are producing. Sonia Eland, executive vice president and country manager for Australia and New Zealand at HCLTech, says the pace of change is outstripping the ability of many education models to adapt.“The main driver is the pace of change,” she says. “Traditional education pathways continue to play an important role, but they were not built for an environment where AI tools, cyber threats and enterprise use cases are evolving so quickly.”Employers are increasingly seeking people who can operate across technical and commercial domains, applying tools in real business contexts. Eland says this is creating a gap in roles that require both technical capability and real-world context.This is prompting a shift in how workforce capability is developed. Industry-led skilling initiatives are becoming more prominent, designed to bring immediacy and relevance to learning.“Industry-led initiatives bring immediacy and relevance,” Eland says. “They allow learners to build skills using current tools and real business scenarios, rather than relying only on theory.”These approaches are also changing the structure of learning itself. Eland says modular programs, applied projects and co-designed pathways are helping combine technical knowledge with practical experience, particularly in areas such as AI and cybersecurity where real-world context is critical.“From our perspective, the focus is on building capability that can be applied in real environments, securely and responsibly,” she says.Collaboration between universities and industry is becoming a central part of this shift. Universities continue to provide foundational knowledge and research capability, while industry brings insight into emerging technologies and workforce needs.At The University of Western Australia, this intersection is seen as essential to keeping education aligned with a rapidly changing labour market. Universities are no longer only responsible for delivering technical knowledge, but for developing graduates who can adapt and apply skills in complex environments.Professor Amit Chakma, vice-chancellor of The University of Western Australia, says traditional approaches to education can struggle to keep pace with the speed of technological change.“Traditional models can sometimes struggle when curriculum cycles move slower than the technologies reshaping industry,” he says. “In fields such as AI and cybersecurity, relevance depends on greater integration between academia and practice, which is why partnerships are so important.”This integration is reshaping curriculum design. Professor Chakma says education models are moving away from rigid, one-size-fits-all structures towards more flexible and responsive programs that better reflect industry needs.“That includes industry-informed curriculum, experiential learning, stackable credentials and micro-credentials that allow learners to engage with emerging technologies in a more agile way,” he says.Micro-credentials are playing an increasing role in this landscape, reflecting a broader shift towards lifelong learning. Rather than viewing education as a one-off phase, organisations and institutions are recognising the need for continuous reskilling as technologies evolve.The program includes globally accessible micro-credentials in areas such as AI and cybersecurity, designed to support both students and working professionals.“Micro-credentials reflect a growing recognition that learning does not begin and end with a degree,” Professor Chakma says. “As industries evolve faster, professionals need flexible ways to upskill and reskill throughout their careers.”For employers, this creates an opportunity to build capability not only through hiring, but by developing existing workforces. It also aligns more closely with how technology is deployed, with skills being updated incrementally rather than through periodic retraining.The implications extend beyond individual organisations. Workforce capability is increasingly linked to broader questions of economic resilience and sovereign capability.“Workforce capability is central to sovereign capability,” Eland says. “Investment in technology and infrastructure needs to be matched by investment in skills. Without the right talent, organisations can’t fully deploy or secure digital systems.”AI and cybersecurity skills support the protection of critical infrastructure, enable trusted digital services and help drive innovation. Building these capabilities locally, while staying connected to global expertise, strengthens Australia’s ability to compete and supports long-term economic resilience.Partnerships between industry and education providers are one way of addressing this challenge. HCLTech’s collaboration with The University of Western Australia is focused on developing globally accessible programs in AI and cybersecurity that combine academic expertise with industry-aligned training, contributing to a more connected talent pipeline.Professor Chakma says these collaborations are also helping build more globally relevant talent pipelines.“AI and cybersecurity demand far more than technical skills – they require ethical judgement, critical thinking and an understanding of societal impact,” he says. “Through our Indo-Pacific engagement, including our collaboration with HCLTech and UWA India, we are creating new borderless pathways that combine academic excellence with industry-connected learning.”By linking Australia’s education strengths with the scale and innovation of other markets, he says it is possible to develop talent that is both locally relevant and globally competitive.As AI and cybersecurity continue to reshape industries, the ability to build and sustain workforce capability will become a defining factor in economic performance. For Australian organisations, the challenge is no longer simply adopting new technologies, but ensuring the workforce can use them effectively.Closing that gap will require co-ordination across education, industry and policy, with a greater focus on applied skills, flexible learning models and continuous development. The stakes extend beyond individual organisations to the resilience and competitiveness of the broader economy.To find out more, please visit HCLTech.
