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ACS Digital Pulse Report 2024: Supporting Diversity in Tech & Responsible AI

Article Report

The ACS Digital Pulse 2024 report underscores Australia’s evolving technology landscape and the urgent need for action to address critical challenges in workforce development, diversity, and AI adoption. Key findings include:

  • The IT sector contributed $124 billion to the Australian economy in FY23.  
  • Australia’s technology workforce surpassed one million in 2024 – a remarkable 60% growth since 2014.  
  • However, 1.3 million tech workers will be needed by 2030, emphasising the urgent need to increase diversity and address workforce shortages.  
  • Australia’s adoption of artificial intelligence is lagging behind international competitors.  
  • Despite a surge in IT studies during the pandemic, enrolments dropped by 10% in 2022, signalling challenges in developing future talent pipelines. 
  • Boys remain four times more likely than girls to show interest in tech careers, underscoring a need for greater gender diversity.

To address these challenges, the ACS has proposed 12 measures, including reskilling workers, fostering diversity and promoting the responsible use of AI in Australia. KJR shares these goals and is committed to driving progress in gender parity, diversity, and ethical AI practices. 

Diversity in Tech: The Gender Gap

The tech sector’s gender imbalance remains a pressing issue. Women make up just 30% of the Australian tech workforce, compared to 44% in professional industries and 48% of the overall workforce. Over the past decade, this proportion has risen by only 1.2%, reflecting persistent barriers to entry and retention. Women also face leadership and pay disparities, with only 43% holding managerial roles (versus 50% for men) and a 12% adjusted pay gap amounting to $12,600 annually. 

KJR’s Commitment to Gender Diversity

At KJR we have a strong gender distribution (32.11%). Among our senior consultants, 33% are women, and among our consultants, 40% are women – a testament to our dedication to equity. To ensure equal pay for equal work, KJR uses benchmark data such as Aon Professional Services/ Professional Employee Awards levels to pay our employees accordingly to the market rate. 

In KJR’s internal Leadership Track Program – a eight-month program designed to nurture and cultivate leadership skills within our workforce – 43% of participants are women. This highlights our commitment to fostering increased women’s representation in leadership roles at KJR.

Gender parity is a cornerstone of our diversity efforts and drives initiatives such as:

  • Women Leaders in AI Program: In collaboration with IntelliHQ, we empower aspiring women AI professionals. This program provides successful applicants with ongoing mentorship, local events, and a pool of scholarship opportunities to support career advancement.
  • Women in Technology at QUT: By supporting the WIT student organisation, we are committed to increasing young female representation in the tech field, a testament to our ongoing dedication to fostering a diverse talent pipeline.
  • ANU x AFC Women in Leadership Scholarship: Through our partnership with ANU Australian Football Club, we facilitate leadership scholarships that propel women toward excellence. The scholarship offers one recipient $5,000 per annum for up to 3 years of study at ANU. Recipients are provided leadership and career development opportunities. This initiative underscores our belief in nurturing leadership across all spheres of life.
  • UC Caps Scholarship: This sponsorship allows the Caps women to participate and play in the WNBL on a professional stage while building their skills in tech as employees of KJR which ensures they can thrive in the workforce after their professional sports careers. It encourages people from diverse backgrounds to join KJR.

These initiatives aim to empower women, enhance representation, and cultivate an innovative and inclusive tech workforce. For more details on KJR’s commitment to women in tech and gender diversity, see our Women in Tech article.

Responsible AI: Bridging Australia’s Adoption Gap

Australia trails behind global peers in generative AI adoption, hindered by low talent concentration, limited business uptake, and declining private investment, which fell to $0.6 billion in 2023 – the lowest among 14 major markets. Furthermore, 55% of tech workers report insufficient workplace governance to address ethical AI issues, stressing the need for enhanced AI frameworks and education. However, Australia’s public sector ranks second in AI readiness across Asia Pacific, reflecting the potential for leadership in governance. 

The report recommends helping businesses gain confidence as they navigate AI governance requirements through supporting advisory services and networks. These services would provide expertise on how to integrate AI solutions and promote effective and safe adoption.  

KJR is leading the way in bridging the AI adoption gap with specialised workshops: 

• AI Governance workshops: learn to deploy and govern trustworthy AI applications

• Practical AI Assurance workshops: to gain expertise in testing and evaluating large language models.

KJR’s Role in Ethical AI Implementation

KJR is a leader in promoting and implementing responsible AI practices. Founded on over 27 years’ experience in quality assurance and verification, we recognise the specific challenges Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning pose to traditional forms of quality assurance. KJR’s services are tailored to support businesses in navigating these evolving challenges while ensuring they meet responsible AI standards.

We offer independent validation of AI model performance, risk assessment of AI adoption, implementation of AI governance processes, and compliance with responsible Australian AI usage guidelines and regulations.

For more information about how KJR can help you meet these AI and digital transformation needs, visit our services page: AI & Data Quality Assurance – KJR.