Case study: UTS and Telstra

Investing in Australia's future technology talent

UTS is teaming up with Telstra to develop the skills and capabilities students will need for the future workforce.

Studying network or software engineering, cyber security, or data analytics?  You're in luck, with demand for talent in these areas at an all time high.

In fact, in the next 5 years Australia is expected to have a shortfall of 60,000 information and communication technology workers.  This leaves the country vulnerable to tackling some of the biggest issues disrupting society.

The University of Technology Sydney, along with one of the country’s biggest employers, Telstra, are committed to addressing the looming skills shortage, through placements and work integrated experiences, research and innovation opportunities, and more development including early access to career opportunities.

Telstra Chief Executive Officer Andrew Penn says this partnership will help build Australia’s technology talent and close the gap between the supply and demand of highly-skilled professionals.

“I have had a front-row seat to see how technology has changed the workplace. Some roles evolve and others disappear entirely,” said Mr. Penn.

“As we confront the realities of a workforce that is changing faster than ever before, we must think hard about the talent pipeline for our current and future business needs.”

UTS Deputy Vice-Chancellor & Vice-President (Innovation & Enterprise), Glenn Wightwick, says the partnership will bring Telstra's expertise into the UTS campus and classrooms through industry challenges and guest lectures.

“Our partnership with Telstra will enhance the employability of our students, provide a strong pipeline of potential talent for Telstra and the broader tech community and support the upskilling and reskilling of their existing workforce.”

"In collaboration with Telstra, we aim to support community and social development initiatives to attract increasingly diverse talent interested in technology and provide them with career pathways and study options.”

As a leading technology university with partnerships embedded throughout the 2027 strategy, UTS’s work with Telstra exemplifies how the university strives to enhance student graduate attributes through personal and industry-based learning experiences.

Technology will continue to drive changes in our lives and in the workplace – the real issue, then, is how we respond and prepare ourselves for the future.

Andrew Penn
Telstra CEO

UTS students learn skills they will use for a lifetime, to the benefit of the Australian workforce and the university’s partners, such as Telstra.

 “As we look to the future, we also have an opportunity to support greater diversity in all its forms, said Mr. Penn.

“The technology industry is a male-dominated space, but we are committed to ensuring the pipeline of future talent is diverse from its beginning. To do this, the partnerships will look at ways to build curiosity in technology careers and engage a broad range of people before they reach university, including high school student outreach programs.”

The Memorandum of Understanding will remain in place for at least two years.