Australian organisations today recognise the need to remain competitive at a global level, amid mounting pressures to stay relevant, compliant, and agile. Furthermore, government initiatives, customer expectations, and global trends contribute to the push toward digital transformation. A huge part of this transformation is the workforce. Unfortunately, there is a huge gap in the availability of skilled IT talent and the rapidly accelerating innovation & technological advancements. This continues to be a concern for many organizations as they struggle to not only keep existing talents upskilled but also educate future generations.
According to a 2023 report published by IDC and Lenovo, lack of IT skills is one of the top three concerns that CIOs want to address in 2023. 33% of CIOs across APAC looking to accelerate business innovation but lack the talents to do so. To combat this, businesses need to look at investing in the right tech partners, upskilling programs for the existing workforce, and supporting educational institutions to nurture young talents.
Driving innovation and productivity
Businesses need to address the two key challenges at hand – lack of tech talent and upskilling the existing workforce. Here, tech providers play a crucial role in combating the skills shortage issue by automating mundane tasks and reducing the workload of IT specialists, allowing them to invest their time in innovation. Tech providers also offer certifications and training programs to enable employees efficiently utilise the solutions. Lenovo’s IT solutions leverage AI/ML to deliver optimal performance, allow seamless mobility and access to data across cloud environments reducing workloads.
To meet the evolving demands of the market and customers, upskilling employees should also be a part of the business strategy. With AI taking center stage, programs must revolve around improving overall employee satisfaction, increasing retention of top talents, and competitiveness in the long-run.
Lenovo and Education
Nurturing the next generation of Australians is an important goal that all businesses should implement in their strategy. While we can take the steps to meet demands now, having a future-ready workforce can bolster the economy and equip future talents with the right tools to remain competitive. Lenovo has partnered with schools as their preferred hardware provider, offering laptops and services to simplify complex IT issues and give children an all-rounded education. Not only the devices, but Lenovo’s high-performance computing solutions have also enabled premier institutes across AP to accelerate research and bring innovative solutions to the world.
Lenovo recognises the transformative power of education in shaping the future of Australia. The company’s Indigenous Reading Project (IRP) is an example of our commitment to bridging opportunity gaps for children of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander descent. Leveraging smart technology, we have provided access to digital resources and learning tools, empowering young learners to develop essential literacy skills and bridge the digital divide.
The government and education sectors across APAC have similarly responded to the need for upskilling by offering courses and study paths in niche tech areas. Singapore for example, has organisations such as SkillsFuture and the Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA) offering TechSklls Accelerator and Work-Study programmes, focusing growing talents in niche areas like cybersecurity, data analytics and artificial intelligence. In India, the Government has been upskilling its workforce through initiatives such as the Skills India Mission and the National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC), which offers courses in data science, cloud computing and machine learning.
The commitment to grow IT talent and keep the market adverse to changes is critical and an important aspect of a CIO. Organisations can unlock the full potential of their workforce, overcome talent shortages and navigate the ever-changing digital landscape with confidence. Together, we can shape a future where technology empowers individuals and propels businesses toward success in today’s paradigm.
Nigel Lee is AP Director – Storage, Lenovo ISG.
