Top IT Trends in Australia for IT Pros to Prepare For in 2024 – TechRepublic

Top IT Trends in Australia for IT Pros to Prepare For in 2024
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IT pros in Australia should be looking forward to a big year in 2024, as ongoing transformation continues to redefine their roles within their companies. Those who have certifications and capabilities in areas such as security, data analysis and business analysis will be highly sought out and valued by employers. Coupled with an ongoing skills shortage, those pros who spend the effort to develop their skillsets according to current trends will do well, regardless of the broader economic conditions.
According to Gartner, IT spending in Australia is expected to exceed $133 billion in 2024, which is a substantial increase of 7.8% on the previous year (Figure A). This will be driven most significantly by demand in software, including cloud services, which will increase by 12.8%.
Furthermore, highlighting the impact of the skills shortage, demand for IT services, including managed services, will see spending increase by 8.2%. Organisations, which will want to embrace innovation, will find themselves turning to third parties if they can’t resource the solutions internally.
Upskilling is going to be central to career development for IT pros this year. Those that focus on gaining certifications in areas of hot demand — especially cloud technologies and artificial intelligence — will be highly valued by organisations.
SEE: Australian IT pros with the right certifications and experience will find some big new opportunities open to them.
Additionally, this is a good year for IT pros to consider moving into managed services and developing an understanding of how organisations across a range of sectors operate.
Australian organisations used the disruption caused by the COVID-19 pandemic to invest heavily in digital innovation. These investments are now starting to bear fruit; as across cyber security, cloud platforms, data and analytics and application modernisation, there is now maturity that is leading to advanced technology solutions and new revenue streams.
Areas such as e-commerce, online marketplaces, FinTech and HealthTech are all now meeting the needs of customers who are digital natives and prefer to consume services that way. In e-commerce, for example, Australia is the 12th-largest market, and ranks ahead of markets with much larger populations, such as Brazil.
With maturity, organisations and government bodies alike are looking to start rolling out new digital services. For example, in 2024, the Australian government will launch Digital IDs after several years of laying out the groundwork.
IT professionals will need to be prepared to work in highly agile environments where the focus will be firmly on leveraging digital technology to launch new products and deepen the customer experience.
In late 2023, the Australian government unveiled its 2023-2030 Cyber Security Strategy, an ambitious, far-reaching and transformative approach to national cyber security that aims to take Australia from being prone to data breaches and loss to being a global leader.
SEE: Cyber security trends to watch in Australia in 2024.
This strategy will result in new policies and areas for compliance, as well as enhanced penalties for non-compliance, meaning that cyber security will be an area of enhanced risk for organisations. Some of the areas for action over the next seven years that will start to see movement in 2024 include:
While this is aimed at improving cyber security outcomes across the nation, organisations, and particularly small and midsize businesses, are going to struggle to keep up with the rapid movement that the government is making in this area.
Every IT professional in every area should take the time to develop some level of cyber security competency. Organisations are going to look to their IT teams for leadership on this, and the rate of change means that all IT professionals should ensure their cyber security skills and certifications are kept current and up-to-date.
There is an ongoing need for IT professionals to act as a bridge between IT teams and the wider business. As organisations rely more heavily on IT to deliver products and revenue streams, IT pros that better understand the broader role of IT within the business will be highly valued.
SEE: Australian organisations are looking to talent as a service to fill skills gaps.
According to Hays, the top five skills for IT pros to focus on in 2024 are:
Though the overall economy will likely continue to face challenges this year — Australia still has issues with the cost of living, inflation and global macroeconomic conditions — the IT sector, which can leverage technology to mitigate some of these challenges, should see a strong year. For IT professionals, there is a lot to look forward to.
Stay up to date on the latest in technology with Daily Tech Insider Australian Edition. We bring you news on industry-leading companies, products, and people, as well as highlighted articles, downloads, and top resources. You’ll receive primers on hot tech topics that are most relevant to AU markets that will help you stay ahead of the game. Delivered Thursdays
Stay up to date on the latest in technology with Daily Tech Insider Australian Edition. We bring you news on industry-leading companies, products, and people, as well as highlighted articles, downloads, and top resources. You’ll receive primers on hot tech topics that are most relevant to AU markets that will help you stay ahead of the game. Delivered Thursdays
Top IT Trends in Australia for IT Pros to Prepare For in 2024
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