With investment in Australian digital infrastructure and skills soaring, the nation’s peak professional body for technology practitioners is entering a period of internal reform and outward ambition.
Newly appointed Australian Computer Society president Beau Tydd says his presidency will focus on modernisation to keep pace with the rapid pace of change in the industry, while ensuring technology delivers opportunity across Australia.
Mr Tydd argues that the credibility of the tech profession will increasingly depend on how well it balances innovation with accountability, particularly as technologies such as artificial intelligence become embedded in critical infrastructure and public services.
“Two priorities will be central,” Mr Tydd says. “First, strengthening a member-centred, future-ready ACS. Second, ensuring that technology delivers equitable opportunity for all Australians.”
At an organisational level, Mr Tydd will focus on modernising governance structures, simplifying decision-making, and empowering expert taskforces to engage directly with emerging technologies and national priorities.
“We are seeing enormous change in our industry. As laid out in our latest ACS Digital Pulse report, the IT industry has the potential to drive a $25bn productivity boost through better IT skills and adoption.”
“Now more than ever, we need an ACS that can respond quickly and credibly. That means empowering our members to lead on issues that matter, rather than relying on slow or overly complex structures.”
Beyond internal reform, Mr Tydd sees digital inclusion as a defining challenge for the decade ahead. While Australia has made major advances in digital capability, he warns that significant parts of the population risk being left behind, including seniors and other digitally vulnerable groups.
“Australia’s digital future must benefit everyone, from students entering the workforce to seniors who are increasingly vulnerable to exclusion. Bridging the digital divide is essential not just for social inclusion, but for strengthening national capability,” he says.
Addressing the country’s persistent digital skills shortage is another priority area. The ACS Digital Pulse also emphasises that continuous reskilling and upskilling are vital to keep pace with digital transformation. Broader workforce research predicts that around 70 per cent of job-related skills will change by the end of the decade as AI and digital technologies reshape work.
Mr Tydd says solving the gap will require coordinated action from industry, government, and professional bodies, rather than short-term fixes.
“Industry must invest in people by creating clear pathways for learners, career-changers and experienced professionals who need to upskill,” he says.
He positions ACS as a key steward of the technology workforce, with a responsibility to convene stakeholders, strengthen certification pathways, and help ensure national capability frameworks are applied consistently.
“Our focus is on making sure every Australian, regardless of background, can access the skills needed to participate in the digital economy,” Mr Tydd says.
As AI adoption accelerates, Mr Tydd expects ACS to play a more prominent role in shaping national conversations on governance, trust, and responsible use. He argues that policy debates must be grounded in practitioner experience, not just abstract theory.
“Australia needs practical, ethical guidance on AI,” he says. “That means frameworks that prioritise trust, transparency and accountability, while still enabling innovation.”
Professionalising the tech workforce is central to that ambition. Mr Tydd defines professionalisation as establishing technology as a recognised and trusted profession, underpinned by clear standards, ethical foundations, and portable skills.
“In practice, that means strengthening accreditation, aligning skills with national frameworks, embedding ethics and continuous learning, and ensuring employers and government can trust the capability of the workforce,” he says. “As technology becomes critical infrastructure, professionalism is no longer optional.”
Professionalising the technology workforce can also play a critical role in improving inclusion, another recurring theme in Mr Tydd’s agenda.
By shifting the focus from subjective hiring practices to skills standards, certification, and clearly defined competencies, professionalisation helps reduce bias and showcases capability. It creates alternative pathways into tech, supports non-linear careers, and provides the clarity and structure that many neurodivergent professionals need to thrive.
Mr Tydd says the ACS must actively remove barriers faced by under-represented groups, including neurodivergent professionals, and advocate for more inclusive practices across industry.
“A truly inclusive digital nation is one where no one is left behind, regardless of age, learning style or background,” he says. “This is not a peripheral task. It is core to our purpose.”
“Ultimately, I want to see a profession that moves forward together. Even when we don’t agree on every detail, we should be united by a belief in the power of technology to improve lives and create opportunities. If we achieve that, we will have made a real difference.”
This article was produced in partnership with the Australian Computer Society (ACS) as part of its sponsorship of the InnovationAus Awards for Excellence 2025.
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