Learning People Joins NSW Digital Compact’s 20% Alternative Pathways Pledge
We’re proud to join a pledge that works to further our company mission: make lucrative and rewarding tech careers accessible to everyone.
It's been almost a year since we officially joined the NSW Government’s 20% Alternative Pathways Pledge as an Enabler. This was an exciting step forward in our mission to expand access to career-changing opportunities in technology fields.
Learning People’s participation in the pledge marks a significant milestone in our ongoing commitment to expanding access to digital careers across Australia.
As demand for skilled tech professionals continues to rise, this partnership with the NSW Digital Compact underlines our belief that high-quality education and meaningful career opportunities should be available to everyone, regardless of their background, previous experience, or their access to traditional academic pathways like university degrees.
Written by
Neil has been at Learning People in New Zealand for over 5 years working as a specialist in helping people gain the skills, certifications, and confidence they need to land their dream roles in tech and project management.
This pledge strengthens our company mission
“Learning People is proud to join the NSW Government’s 20% Alternative Pathways Pledge, a commitment that aligns directly with our mission to close the global digital skills gap through industry-recognised tech certifications. By supporting alternative pathways into tech careers, we reinforce our belief that talent is shaped by potential, not traditional entry routes. This pledge strengthens our ongoing work to create accessible, future-ready learning journeys that empower individuals to upskill, reskill, and step confidently into high-growth technology roles.”
This commitment sets the tone for what this partnership means for learners, for employers, and for the future of the digital workforce.
What Is the NSW Digital Compact?
The NSW Digital Compact is an ambitious, government-led initiative designed to strengthen collaboration between the public sector and digital industry partners, formed to address the projected shortfall of 85,000 digital workers in NSW by 2030. It focuses on building a world-class digital workforce, accelerating innovation, and ensuring NSW remains at the forefront of technological advancement.
By engaging educators, technology providers, and industry leaders, the digital compact aims to modernise how Australia identifies, trains, and deploys digital talent, making the sector more accessible, resilient, and future-ready.
Momentum is building; as of October 2026, 74 Compact Partners have signed the pledge, from major employers to training providers and industry bodies.
What Is the 20% Alternative Pathways Pledge?
The 20% Alternative Pathways Pledge is a commitment from participating organisations to ensure that at least 20% of new digital roles are filled through non-traditional pathways by 2030. This includes:
- Candidate backgrounds outside of formal university routes
- Individuals retraining mid-career
- Learners upskilling through certification-based programmes
- Career changers returning to the workforce
- People from underrepresented or disadvantaged communities
These pathways include vocational education and training (VET), micro-credentials and traineeships, as well as certification-based programmes like ours.
Signatories include technology companies such as Microsoft, IBM, AWS, Salesforce, ServiceNow, HP and LinkedIn; finance and consulting firms including Commonwealth Bank, ANZ, Accenture, CyberCX, TCS, Cognizant, Akkodis and Peoplebank; and NSW Government organisations including NSW Health, Transport for NSW, Digital NSW, Revenue NSW, the Premier’s Department and TAFE NSW.
Early signs are encouraging. In the Compact’s annual partner survey, 44% of respondents said they were already at or above the 20% target. These figures are self-reported, so they’re an indicator of momentum rather than a guarantee of hiring.
The pledge acknowledges a fundamental truth: digital capability isn’t determined by degrees—it’s built through skills, passion, and potential.
By joining the pledge, Learning People is aligning with a movement that values real-world capability over traditional pedigree, and expands opportunities for people who might otherwise face barriers entering the tech sector.
We’ve joined as an Enabler: one of the training and career providers that prepare people for the employers who have signed the pledge. Learning People is listed in the pledge’s Enabler Registry, a public webpage and searchable database where employers can find Enablers by industry, learner profile, and location.
Why This Matters
The Australian tech industry continues to face significant shortages in critical digital skills—from cybersecurity and cloud computing to software development and data analytics. Traditional education alone cannot meet this demand.
The 20% Alternative Pathways Pledge represents a powerful shift toward:
- Faster, skills-first entry routes into technology
- Greater workforce diversity
- More inclusive hiring practices
- Training aligned directly with industry needs
- Upskilling and reskilling as accessible, lifelong opportunities
Pledge employers have been open about what’s holding them back. In the partner survey, the most cited barriers included too few applications from people without a degree, limited onboarding capacity and difficulty verifying self-taught skills. Industry-recognised certifications help close that last gap by giving employers clear evidence of what a candidate can do.
Employers are getting support to make the shift, too. The Future Skills Organisation (FSO) and Business NSW are developing guidelines and tools, including a skills-based hiring maturity framework, to help employers move from degree filters to hiring on evidence of skills. These resources are still in development.
For learners, this means more doors are now open. The pledge is a NSW Government initiative, so it covers NSW roles, though many signatories are national or multinational employers. You’ll still apply and interview for each role, and our Career Services team supports you through that process.
For employers, it means better access to job-ready digital talent.
For the wider tech ecosystem, it means a stronger, more resilient workforce built for the future.
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