After a challenging FY24 marked by restructures, redundancies, and widespread burnout, the Australian technology market is finally showing signs of stabilisation. The phrase “death by a thousand cuts” defined the previous year but Q4 FY25 brought a shift.
Interest rate cuts, easing inflation, and renewed investment in critical tech functions have helped restore confidence across the sector. Hiring has picked up across key areas including Data, SAP, Cybersecurity, Cloud, and Transformation, with salary levels returning to pre-pandemic norms. However, caution remains.
Tough Technology Year, Brighter Outlook
Q4 marked a turning point for project and change management roles. What were once considered “nice-to-have” functions: Program Managers, Change Analysts, Product Owners, are now central to transformation efforts.
Organisations that spent much of FY24 in planning mode are finally pushing forward, with more projects receiving budget approval and green lights. This resurgence signals more than just hiring activity it reflects a broader recognition that transformation without structured delivery is unsustainable. Leaders are prioritising specialised skills, and generalist profiles are struggling to gain traction.
HCM Moves from Optional to Critical
UKG Workforce Central has turned what was once a gradual migration into a time-sensitive imperative. Organisations rushed to secure UKG Pro WFM talent before engineering support ends in December 2025, creating a final wave of hiring activity.
Dayforce demand also surged, driven by post-acquisition migrations from Preceda. But the real challenge lies in finding Techno-Functional Consultants, those rare professionals who combine deep technical expertise with business acumen.
Hiring managers are facing tighter budgets and rising expectations. Delivery speed and quality remain non-negotiable. The HCM space is no longer about system maintenance, it’s about strategic enablement.
Busines Analytics:
BA Roles: Strong demand, especially for business case development and transformation kickstarts.
Market Dynamics: Competitive, with niche specialists winning roles.
Day Rates: Trending upward due to supply-demand imbalance
Cloud DevOps & SRE:
Cloud Adoption: Targeting 10–15% growth by FY26.
SRE Roles: High demand in financial services, especially with dev capabilities.
Architectural Fluency: Engineers who understand design principles are highly valued.
Quality Assurance
QA Hiring: Surging in financial institutions; leadership roles first, junior roles to follow.
Offshoring: Common, but onshore leads remain critical.
In-Demand Skills: ETL data testing and QA engineers with dev knowledge.
Integration Architecture:
Azure Integration: Dominating due to cost efficiency and Microsoft ecosystem alignment.
MuleSoft: Still relevant, but expensive—many companies migrating away.
Advice: Avoid platform pigeonholing; cross-skill in Azure, Boomi, and MuleSoft to stay competitive.
Conclusion
Australia enters FY26 with cautious optimism. Conversations with clients are significantly more positive than they were 12 months ago. Organisations are looking to automate intelligently, scale securely, and deliver measurable outcomes. The focus is shifting from survival to strategic growth.
Hiring managers must act decisively, streamline processes, and offer competitive packages. Candidates, meanwhile, should sharpen their business impact stories and remain flexible in a market that rewards adaptability.
The recovery is underway, but it’s reserved for those who move with clarity and purpose.
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Want more insights or help navigating the Technology talent market? Get in touch with the Precision Sourcing team today.
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