According to the 28th annual IT Recruitment & Retention report from Clicks IT Recruitment, 2025 is shaping up to be a notable growth year for the tech hiring market in Australia.
In particular, the areas of Artificial Intelligence, digital transformation, and cybersecurity are projected to experience strong upward trends.
What this means is that there are likely to be quite a few jobs available in these areas. So, if you want to make yourself as attractive a candidate as possible, it is within your interests to do everything you can to stand out from your competition.
The best way to do this is to equip yourself with the tech skills that employers are looking for. But while previously it might have been enough to have a general tech background, that is not the case anymore.
Today, tech is no longer a narrow field. It is, in fact, woven into just about every industry in Australia, including everything from finance and healthcare to education and logistics.
For this reason, employers are searching for a much more specific mix of skills that includes not just technical know-how, but also adaptability, security awareness, and sharp problem-solving abilities.
This post will highlight five of the top skills that tech employers are looking for. If you add these strings to your bow, you are bound to make yourself a lot more hireable.
Use An IT Recruitment Agency
Before we highlight the skills, it is worth mentioning that if you're serious about getting into the right role (or indeed finding the right person for your vacancy), it is a good idea to consider IT recruitment with Ignite.
Their expert consultants understand Australia’s current tech landscape and can connect skilled professionals with forward-thinking companies that will be a good fit.
5 Top In-Demand Skills
Advertisment
Regardless of whether you use an IT agency or not, here are five in-demand skills you would be well advised to brush up on.
1. Cloud Computing Expertise
More Australian companies are moving away from on-site servers and embracing cloud solutions for their flexibility, scalability, and cost savings. This means that possessing cloud skills is a must.
Whether it's AWS, Microsoft Azure, or Google Cloud Platform, cloud computing is at the heart of modern IT infrastructure. Therefore, most employers are on the lookout for people who can design, deploy, and manage cloud environments efficiently.
As a result, roles like Cloud Engineers, DevOps Engineers, and Site Reliability Engineers are in high demand. If you can navigate multi-cloud setups or have certifications to back up your experience, you’ll probably have a distinct advantage.
Moreover, knowing how to optimize resources and reduce costs in the cloud will probably make you a huge asset as well.
2. Cybersecurity Skills
With more companies going digital, cyber threats are unfortunately a rising threat, which is why maintaining good cybersecurity is now critical for businesses of all sizes across Australia.
To counter it, employers are actively seeking talent with skills in ethical hacking, risk assessment, network security, and incident response. Familiarity with frameworks like ISO 27001 or the Essential Eight is also becoming a big plus for many.
Even in roles not strictly labelled as ‘cyber’, having an awareness of cybersecurity principles can give you a serious edge. Effectively, in a world where one data breach can cost millions and damage a company’s reputation, being the person who can prevent or mitigate that is worth your weight in gold.
3. Data Literacy and Analytics
The British mathematician, Clive Humby, is credited as saying that “data is the new oil”, and this, it seems, is especially true in tech. Companies need people who can not only collect data but also make sense of it and apply insights to real-world problems.
Whether you’re in marketing, product development, or IT, data literacy is becoming a core skill companies are looking for. Indeed, many employers want team members who can use tools like SQL, Python, Power BI, or Tableau to generate reports, spot trends, and make strategic decisions.
But here’s the kicker. It's not just good enough to be able to analyse past data anymore because predictive analytics and machine learning have changed the game. Therefore, if you understand how to build models or interpret AI-driven forecasts, you’ll be able to better stand out in a crowded job market.
4. Software Development and Programming
From building apps and websites to integrating back-end systems, developers play an integral role in digital innovation. So, it should come as no surprise that software development is still one of the most in-demand skills in the tech sector.
However, employers aren’t just looking for coders who can tick boxes. Instead, they want people who understand the bigger picture. For instance, how different parts of the system work together, how to optimise user experience, and how to write clean, maintainable code.
Languages like Python, JavaScript, and Java continue to be popular, especially in agile development environments. And if you have full-stack capabilities or mobile development experience (such as in Flutter and React Native), you’ll be even more attractive to potential employers.
5. Soft Skills
In an age where remote and hybrid work are now the norm in most business environments, being tech-savvy isn't enough to land you a role. Employers increasingly want people who can work well in teams, communicate clearly, and adapt quickly to changing conditions.
That is why, if you can explain a technical issue to a non-technical client without blinding them with jargon, can collaborate with designers, product managers, and stakeholders, and take feedback constructively and pivot when needed, you’ll have a much better chance of being offered a job.
