ELIZABETH JACKSON: Australia's IT (information technology) sector has warned that the industry has reached a crisis point because of a desperate lack of skilled workers.
The IT sector contributes about $42 billion to the economy every year with potential for that to keep growing, but the industry says there's nowhere near enough skilled workers to make that happen.
They're warning that without more IT workers, Australia will lose valuable business opportunities to innovators overseas.
Stephanie Smail reports.
STEPHANIE SMAIL: IT is everywhere, powering everything from vending machines to complex financial trading markets. To keep it all running, the industry needs highly skilled workers.
But the companies that run the sector say there's thousands of jobs sitting empty.
CHRIS WALTON: It's this crazy situation where you've got people coming out and not getting the opportunity that they need because everyone's got a project they need to get done and they want an experienced person to do it. So the labour market development system has broken down.
STEPHANIE SMAIL: Chris Walton is from the Association of Professional Engineers, Scientists and Managers Australia.
He says universities aren't teaching the right skills and the private sector isn't investing enough time or energy to boost the skilled workforce.
CHRIS WALTON: What is Australia's future if it isn't as a highly productive innovative country? How do we compete with China and other countries unless we compete on being smart and innovative?
Without an ICT (information and communications technology) industry with highly skilled professionals Australia is going to fall behind.
STEPHANIE SMAIL: It's not just Australia that's struggling.
The European Commission is predicting there will be a shortfall of nearly 1 million IT workers in Europe in the next two years.
To fight the problem, big companies have joined with governments to find the skilled labour they need.
Chris Walton says the Federal Government should follow its lead.
CHRIS WALTON: They're smart enough to know that you can't have a thriving economy by doing old world, old-fashioned activities. You have to be at the cutting edge and cutting edge of innovation.
STEPHANIE SMAIL: Professor Michael Blumenstein teaches information technology at Griffith University and admits a fresh approach is needed.
He says other countries are changing the way they find and train IT workers.
MICHAEL BLUMENSTEIN: The UK government is investing in their school system to teach computer science from a very young age so that people can understand that computer science and related areas are very important for the future of that country.
And we, unfortunately, are not putting in as much investment to give incentives for people to take on these important roles.
STEPHANIE SMAIL: Professor Blumenstein says Australia has the opportunity to use the National Broadband Network to get ahead.
MICHAEL BLUMENSTEIN: What's going to change Australia is the ability to leverage off the NBN, the speed of broadband, and what we need then is sufficiently skilled people to take advantage of what broadband offers for the country.
STEPHANIE SMAIL: The Federal Government says it's already looking for ways to maximise Australia's IT potential.
The Skills Minister, Sharon Bird, says the Australian Workforce and Productivity Agency is investigating the jobs issue.
SHARON BIRD: Where are the emerging skill opportunities? Are we positioned to match them, both in terms of training at the VET (vocational education and training) level and also at the higher education level? And how we can make sure that people in Australia have the opportunities that emerge from those new models of business that will emerge as well?
ELIZABETH JACKSON: That's the Federal Skills Minister, Sharon Bird, ending that report from Stephanie Smail.
Australia's IT sector pours $42 billion into the economy every year. But industry groups say there's nowhere near enough skilled workers to make that happen. They're describing it as a skill crisis and say without more workers, Australia will lose business to innovators overseas.