Almost eight years ago, alongside 12 industry partners, we drafted a plan to bring the Gold Coast Innovation Hub to life. Since then, I’ve crossed paths with thousands of startup founders—connecting through programs, workspaces, and events—all working to learn, grow, and scale with the support of our incredible industry and mentor networks. What’s been particularly rewarding is seeing the ripple effect: momentum truly creates momentum. New initiatives, workspaces, incubators, and investment networks have sprung up all over, and I couldn’t be happier about it. When it comes to driving growth and change, I firmly believe that more is more. Every new effort strengthens the ecosystem, creating an exciting, organically growing community.
The result? The Gold Coast has evolved from a tourism-centric economy into a thriving innovation destination – in fact, the Gold Coast is now the fastest growing economy in Australia! But where there’s growth, new needs inevitably emerge—and meeting those needs is what the Gold Coast Innovation hub is now focussed on.
The Gold Coast’s Tech Evolution: Halfway There
According to the Boulder Thesis, it takes approximately 20 years to build an effective startup ecosystem. From this perspective, we’re around halfway through our journey, and the progress we’ve made has been significant. The Gold Coast has successfully pivoted from being primarily known for its beautiful beaches and vibrant nightlife to becoming a hotbed for technology-based businesses that are scaling and making their mark on the global stage.
Addressing the ‘Brain Drain’
When we launched the Gold Coast Innovation Hub, one of our primary goals was to address the ‘brain drain’ phenomenon plaguing our city. We were witnessing a troubling trend where university graduates and newcomers to the Gold Coast were forced to commute to Brisbane or even interstate to access the top-tier technology and executive roles.
Personally, I spent the first 4 years of my life on the Gold Coast commuting to Sydney on a monthly basis to fulfil technology contracts because of the lack of local opportunities and it was my frustration with this that fuelled my passion to create economic and cultural change in the city.
I’m proud to say that we’ve made big strides in this area. Today, the Gold Coast boasts a diverse range of opportunities for professionals relocating to our city, with many finding fulfilling roles in our burgeoning tech sector. However, our work is not complete.
The Persistent Graduate-Industry Gap
Despite our progress, we’ve identified a critical challenge that continues to hinder our growth: the widening gap between recent graduates and industry requirements. Many of our IT graduates still find themselves looking to other capital cities for entry-level positions. This is not due to a lack of opportunities on the Gold Coast, but rather because they often lack the cutting-edge skills and technical dexterity required to work effectively in modern tech teams.
This skills gap is not unique to the Gold Coast. It’s a global challenge that the tech industry is grappling with worldwide. The World Economic Forum estimates that 150 million new technology jobs will be created globally over the next five years, with 77% of all jobs requiring digital skills by 2030. These statistics underscore the urgent need for innovative solutions to bridge this divide.
Our Vision for Change
At the Gold Coast Innovation Hub, we’re committed to tackling this challenge head-on. I’m thrilled to announce that we’ve been awarded three years of funding under the Queensland Government’s Regional Enablers Program. This support will allow us to implement groundbreaking initiatives designed to bridge the skills gap and create new opportunities for engagement in the tech sector.
Our programs will focus on several key areas:
- Enhancing Work Integrated Learning (WIL): We’re developing tailored support services to help startups better utilise WIL programs, ensuring that academic knowledge translates directly into practical skills.
- Fostering User Experience Expertise: By creating opportunities for students to engage directly with startups as product testers, we’re providing hands-on experience in real-world innovation.
- Empowering Women in Tech: We’re doubling down on our efforts to support and inspire female students in entrepreneurship and IT, showcasing role models and providing networking opportunities.
- Connecting Industry Challenges with Innovative Solutions: Through a new platform, we’ll be linking real-world industry problems with the creative problem-solving skills of startups and student groups.
- Cultivating Collaborative Innovation: By organising hackathons and other events, we’re fostering a culture of collaboration and innovation within our community.
These initiatives are designed not just to bridge the current skills gap, but to create a sustainable pipeline of tech talent that will continue to fuel the Gold Coast’s growth as an innovation hub.
A Personal Note
As someone who has long advocated for stronger ties between education and industry, I’m incredibly excited about the potential of these programs. They represent not just a bridge between learning and application, but a launchpad for the tech innovators of tomorrow.
The Gold Coast has come so far in the past decade, transforming itself into a legitimate player in the global tech scene. But to truly cement our position and ensure long-term success, we need to focus on nurturing local talent and providing them with the skills and opportunities they need to thrive right here at home.
Join Us in Shaping the Future
If you share my passion for creating these opportunities for students and are excited about the prospect of shaping the future of tech education and industry collaboration on the Gold Coast, we want to hear from you. We’re currently seeking a Workspace and Program Coordinator to help bring these initiatives to life.
This role offers a unique opportunity to be at the forefront of our efforts to close the skills gap and empower the next generation of tech innovators. You’ll play a crucial part in implementing our programs, fostering connections between students and industry, and helping to solidify the Gold Coast’s position as a leading innovation destination.
For more details and to apply, visit our LinkedIn job posting: Workspace and Program Coordinator – Gold Coast Innovation Hub
Let’s work together to close the skills gap, empower the next generation of technology based businesses, and continue the Gold Coast’s journey towards becoming a world-class innovation destination.