Skill Finder, the free digital micro-skills marketplace developed by the Australian technology industry, today launched 20 new dedicated ‘Career Pathways’ to help meet the growing demand for skilled workers in high-demand jobs such as data analytics, digital marketing and UX design.
Skill Finder, led by Adobe, was launched in October 2020 to help support Australia’s economic recovery through and post–pandemic. The Career Pathways are designed to help job seekers learn about the different career paths and upskilling options available for high-demand industries, enabling a better understanding of the skills and qualifications required.
The 20 career specialisations align to current employment opportunities in growing occupations including data analysts, digital marketing specialists, digital support and customer service professionals, and UX designers. The new functionality and integrations also connect people who are upskilling with relevant job boards, such as LinkedIn, to help them explore different digital career options, while in turn helping companies attract newly skilled digital talent.
“We continue to live and work in an uncertain and changing landscape where the importance of skills development to overcome barriers to employment remains paramount. The new Career Pathways on Skill Finder will help meet the digital skilling needs of both individuals and employers looking to address emerging industry skills gaps,” said Suzanne Steele, Vice President and Managing Director of Adobe ANZ.
COVID-19 has highlighted a widening skills gap in Australia, with many businesses and industries facing talent shortages and citing lack of required skills as a key issue. At the same time, the recent United Nations World Youth Skills Day revealed the global youth population is set to grow by more than 78 million between 2021 and 2030, meaning education and training systems across the world will need to respond to this challenge.
Since launch, Skill Finder has expanded to offer more than 2,000 online micro-skills and courses from over 25 providers, including the world’s leading technology companies. To date, more than 200,000 unique visitors have enrolled in more than 35,000 courses, to upskill in areas such as graphic design, coding, cloud computing and data analysis and management.
“The new functionality is designed to help people think about their career and study options in a proactive way. By understanding the skills needed for particular jobs and the jobs available now, Australians can get a clearer picture on where they are in their current career path and how to navigate their career potential,” said James Horne, Director of Strategy at Balance Internet – the Adobe partner who built and operates the Skill Finder marketplace.
