Australia's Chief Scientist, Dr Cathy Foley, has released a paper that charts Australia’s success in quantum technologies, and highlights lessons for helping scale up other sectors, critical to shaping Australia’s industries over the next two decades. 

The paper notes that Australia's emerging tech industries have the potential to create tens of thousands of jobs in the coming decade, with the quantum sector alone projected to create 16,000 new quantum jobs by 2040.

However, meeting these workforce needs requires focus not only on attracting and retaining international talent, but also developing our own future workforce through training, on-the job skills development and micro-credentialling for people with related skills. 

The tech industries also need skills from the humanities and social sciences, to ensure the regulatory and ethical frameworks are in place, and to have the design and creativity input from the arts.

The paper highlights the value of investing at both ends of the science, research and innovation pipeline, and the value of clear policy settings and support.

Read the full Growing Australia's STEM Industries: Lessons from Quantum paper [PDF]