The Tech Council of Australia (TCA) is set to launch a national virtual work experience program aimed at tech jobs. The initiative, in partnership with education group Year13, is designed to connect secondary school students and post-school leavers facing increased employment barriers with the TCA’s network of tech partners.

The program is free and open to all young Australians aged 14-25. The launch will be attended by the Hon. Amanda Rishworth MP, Minister for Social Services, and the Hon. Jason Clare MP, Minister for Education. The program's initial partners include Microsoft, Commonwealth Bank of Australia, and nbn. The program will offer virtual work experiences in high-demand roles such as software and networking engineering, cyber security, and data science.

"Tech jobs are amongst the fastest-growing and best-paid jobs in our economy. We need to see more young Australians moving into these critical jobs of the future," said Robyn Denholm, Chair of the Tech Council.

Ryan Black, Acting CEO of the Tech Council, said: "Getting young people excited about tech careers is an important part of achieving our shared goal with the Australian Government of having 1.2 million people in tech jobs by 2030."

The program is an outcome of the 2022 Jobs and Skills Summit. The TCA's goal is to have 1.2 million people in tech jobs by 2030. The Tech Council of Australia is the peak industry body for Australia’s tech sector, with over 160 members.

Year13 is an Australian EdTech company dedicated to supporting young Australians in their transition from school to work.

Year13 co-founder and co-CEO, Will Stubley, said: "This is about making sure that all young people have an equal chance at getting into the career of their dreams, and finding a path that speaks to them."

"Tech has become central to everything we do for our customers, and we’re excited to play our part in ensuring that Australia’s work-experience programs can keep up with the pace of change we’re seeing in the industry," Commonwealth Bank Executive General Manager Human Resources, Technology & Operations, Jane Adams, said.

General Manager, Corporate External and Legal Affairs at Microsoft, John Galligan, said the tech giant is thrilled to participate in this groundbreaking program, "which perfectly aligns with our commitment to enhancing the digital skills and capability of Australians."

Anne Marie Baldwin, Head of Talent, Culture and Capability at NBN, said: "NBN is proud to be part of this innovative approach to career development and help students gain valuable insights that may open the door to explore diverse career paths into our booming industry."