If last financial year was characterised by cautious hiring and tighter budgets, FY26/27 is shaping up to be a year of targeted investment. Organisations are no longer hiring for growth alone; they're hiring for capability. While overall recruitment activity has moderated, employers continue to compete aggressively for technology professionals who can deliver transformation, harness AI and modernise digital infrastructure. The latest SEEK Employment Report reflects this changing landscape. National job advertisements have eased 4.5% YoY, but Science & Technology remains one of Australia's strongest-performing sectors, recording 2% monthly growth and 7% annual growth. At the same time, applications per job advertisement have increased 5.5% over the past year, signalling a more competitive market for candidates overall. Beneath that lies a different story for specialist technology talent. Businesses are hiring with greater precision Rather than broad recruitment drives, organisations are investing in fewer, higher-impact roles that directly support business priorities. This reflects broader workforce trends across Australia. Digital occupations continue to be some of the country's most persistent areas of skills shortage, particularly Software and Applications Programmers, Cyber Security Specialists and Database and Systems Administrators. As organisations continue investing in digital capability, competition for experienced professionals in these fields remains strong. At the same time, many employers are shifting their focus to building future-ready teams with expertise in AI, cloud technologies, cyber security and enterprise transformation. AI is reshaping tech hiring Artificial intelligence continues to influence hiring priorities across Australia. SEEK reports that references to AI-related skills in job advertisements have increased 68.6% over the past year. Despite this rapid growth, AI-related terminology still appears in only 1.9% of all Australian job advertisements, highlighting that most organisations are embedding AI into existing roles rather than creating entirely new positions. The trend is echoed globally. According to the World Economic Forum , AI and information processing technologies are expected to be the biggest drivers of business transformation over the next five years. Employers anticipate continued growth in demand for AI specialists, Big Data Specialists, FinTech Engineers and Software Developers as organisations accelerate technology investment. Similarly, LinkedIn found that professionals with AI skills are being hired at significantly higher rates than those without them, reinforcing that AI literacy is rapidly becoming simply a competitive advantage rather than a niche capability. Technology roles expected to remain in highest demand Starting FY26/27, demand is expected to remain strongest for professionals supporting digital transformation, data, cloud and cyber initiatives. Some of the roles likely to remain in highest demand include: AI Engineers and Machine Learning Engineers Data Engineers and Data Architects Cyber Security Analysts, Engineers and Security Architects Cloud Engineers and Cloud Architects Platform and DevOps Engineers Software Engineers (particularly Full Stack and Backend Developers) Enterprise Architects Technical Business Analysts Project Managers and Delivery Leads supporting large transformation programs Salaries continue to hold firm Although hiring volumes have become more measured, salary growth remains resilient. The latest SEEK Advertised Salary Index shows national advertised salaries increased 4.1% over the past year, with employers continuing to offer higher remuneration to secure critical talent, although at a slower pace than previous years. Across the technology sector, salary growth is strongest where skills remain scarce and directly support business transformation. Contract rates also remain strong for professionals with experience across government, financial services, infrastructure and enterprise technology programs, particularly where security clearances or specialist domain knowledge are required. Adaptability is becoming the most valuable skill One of the clearest workforce trends emerging is that technical expertise alone is no longer enough. Analytical thinking, resilience, technology literacy and continuous learning are among fast growing workforce capabilities. Employers increasingly want professionals who can combine deep technical knowledge with business acumen, stakeholder management and the ability to lead change. As AI becomes embedded into everyday work, organisations are placing greater value on people who can use emerging technologies to improve productivity while maintaining governance, security and customer outcomes. Looking ahead FY26/27 is unlikely to replicate the rapid hiring experienced during the technology boom of recent years. While the broader labour market has become more competitive, the market for experienced technology specialists remains tight. Businesses continue to compete for professionals who can modernise legacy systems, strengthen cyber resilience, unlock value from data and help organisations adopt AI responsibly. For employers, a higher volume of applications doesn't necessarily mean a larger pool of qualified talent. And for technology professionals, the outlook remains positive. Particularly for those who continue to build expertise across AI, cloud, cyber security, data and enterprise transformation.
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