Modis, Microsoft to help SA women enter space sector

Technology solutions company Modis has teamed up with Microsoft to launch a new program aimed at increasing the participation of women in the South Australian space sector.

The Tech Start program will provide South Australian women with micro-credentials, professional mentoring and career development support.

The first program will help candidates acquire the credentials necessary to assume an entry-level data analyst role, with future programs slated for later in the year focusing on cybersecurity and software development. All three roles are in high demand in the state’s space and defence sectors.

The free 10-week program is open to any woman interested in developing experience in data analytics, regardless of their academic and work background.

The first program, which will commence in March, is targeting recent university or TAFE graduates. To date, the University of South Australia, the University of Adelaide and TAFE SA have all pledged to help promote the program to new graduates and their alumni networks.

The program has also secured the support of space industry partners including Inovor Technologies, Electro Optic Systems and Saber Astronautics, data specialists such as Modis Tech Consulting, Chamonix, Empired and Expose, and other national organisations like the Stone and Chalk incubator. International organisations including Avanade and PwC Australia have also committed to support the program with guest speakers and industry projects.

Training will be delivered through formats including self-learning paths, study groups, instructor-led online and campus sessions, and presentations from professionals across the defence and space industries.

According to the Tech Council of Australia Jobs Opportunity Report, women still only account for around one in four Australian technology professionals. But the pay gap is half that compared to other highly paid sectors such as finance or professional services.

The Tech Start Program is also aligned with the vision of South Australia’s Lot Fourteen business precinct, which has become a national space industry hub and is the home of the Australian Space Agency (ASA). It will also support the ASA’s goal of growing Australia’s space workforce with an additional 20,000 jobs by 2030.

Modis Tech Academy Head Anatoli Kovalev said the aim of the program will be to ensure local talent is used to its full potential and that talent can be renewed rather than retrenched.

“With a widening skills gap and the increased difficulty to fill roles that require cutting-edge skills in fields such as software development, data analytics, cloud and cybersecurity, Modis Tech Academy was created to help today’s IT talent boost their skills and close the talent gap,” he said.

“Through our alliance with industry-leading training partners, we have unlocked greater access than ever to candidates with the advanced, in-demand skill sets of technology and will be at the forefront of closing the technology skills gap in Australia.”

Image credit: ©stock.adobe.com/au/Gorodenkoff