The University of Western Australia has partnered with the Commonwealth Bank Group to launch Perth’s latest technology hub, to foster the next generation of talent.
The Bankwest and CBA Perth Tech Hub is designed to support a growing cohort of digitally skilled workers and provide a boost to the digital economy in Western Australia.
More than 100 new jobs are expected to be created at the Perth Tech Hub, which will offer employment opportunities across data science, cybersecurity, and software engineering, and deliver projects that benefit CBA and Bankwest customers, colleagues and the communities in which they operate.
UWA’s Computer Science and Software Engineering Head of Department, Associate Professor Rachel Cardell-Oliver, welcomed the collaboration as an opportunity to provide invaluable career experience for future technology professionals.
“This collaboration draws on our mutual interests in teaching and research in emerging digital technologies in computer science, cybersecurity, data science, artificial intelligence and software engineering,”Professor Cardell-Oliver said.
“We are looking forward to joint activities through this partnership including industry-led skills workshops and projects, work-integrated learning through placements, and technology-focused events, to ensure UWA students are ready to address the technology skills shortage in Australia and worldwide.”
Image: L-R: Jason Chan (Executive General Manager Bankwest), Roger Williams (CIO Bankwest), Professor Rachel Cardell-Oliver (UWA Head of Dept – Computer Science and Software Engineering), Hon Stephen Dawson (Minister for Innovation & Digital Economy), Jin Hong (UWA Senior Lecturer), Brendan Hopper (CBA CIO for Technology).
Brendan Hopper, CIO for Technology at Commonwealth Bank, said the Perth Tech Hub is part of a nationwide technological advancement drive as it expands its skilled team of tech professionals in WA.
“Our latest technology hub in Perth will provide an innovative and collaborative space for highly skilled technologists, passionate engineers, analysts and developers,”Mr Hopper said.
“We believe we have one of the best early careers program in the technology industry and we are ambitious to grow it in WA. Our partnership with leading universities in the state will help facilitate a sector-wide uplift of technology capability, talent pipeline and innovation.”
The Perth hub will occupy three floors of Bankwest Place in the city’s CBD, joining previously launched hubs in Melbourne, Adelaide and Brisbane.
