When we launched the Tech Reflects Study back in March 2024, it was driven by a simple but powerful belief:
You can’t build what you don’t understand.
At the time, I had no idea just how far this journey would take us — or how deeply it would resonate across the Australian tech landscape.
Developed by TechDiversity in collaboration with the team at Diversity Atlas, Tech Reflects set out to do something no one else had attempted:
- Benchmark the true diversity of Australia’s tech workforce
- Capture intersectionality, lived experience, and cultural identity
- Provide data-driven insights to support the goal of creating 1.2 million tech jobs by 2030
But this wasn’t about hitting diversity quotas.
It was about seeing people as whole humans — not just through the lens of gender, but also ethnicity, neurodivergence, disability, age, culture, and more.
Over the past year, we’ve invited organisations across all sectors to participate in this anonymous, human-first study — and the response has been incredible. We’ve seen a clear shift: leaders are no longer satisfied with surface-level metrics. They want to understand how to unlock the full potential of their teams. And they’re ready to go deeper.
One of the proudest moments in this journey was being invited by AWS to present Tech Reflects to their Partner Network at this year’s AWS Partner Summit. It was an honour — and also a sign that the momentum behind meaningful change is real.
At the ID&E Breakfast, hosted by AWS, more than 50 partner executives gathered to explore how we can truly build a tech sector that reflects our ANZ community.
The room was buzzing. There was honesty, curiosity, and above all — action.
We discussed responsible AI, inclusive recruitment, and designing mentorship pathways for underrepresented groups. But more importantly, we grounded it all in real data — in stories that reflect the actual makeup of our workforce and the gaps we still need to close.
TechDiversity Tech Reflects Booth at the AWS Partner Summit
We’re especially excited to see the AWS Partner Network participate in the Tech Reflects study — with results ring-fenced to reflect their unique partner ecosystem. Again, this is an anonymous study, so it tells a powerful story about the network without revealing the faces behind the data. It’s about understanding trends, patterns, and opportunities at scale — safely and respectfully.
Tech Reflects is more than a DEI study.
It’s an enabler. A blueprint for future-facing organisations who want to thrive by understanding the people behind the job titles.
Some of the findings so far have been eye-opening — particularly the emerging “influence gap” between representation and decision-making power. And while we still have a way to go, we’re no longer flying blind.
Education Pathway
The data also aligns beautifully with one of our core pillars at TechDiversity: education. As we prepare to launch the second cohort of the TechDiversity Academy in September 2025, these insights will directly fuel action. They’ll be embedded into the curriculum to educate leaders on how to leverage DEI data to drive innovation, stronger culture, and broader business objectives. It’s not just about inclusion — it’s about performance, potential, and purpose.
If you’d like to access the TechReflects study results or explore how your organisation can participate, reach out to Jen. We’d love to bring you on the journey.
Because if we want to build a truly innovative tech workforce, it has to start with people. All people.
If you work in the Australian tech workforce in any capacity — maybe you’re a creative, a bean counter, a sales pro, a coder, or something in between — we invite you to take part. Let’s ask together: who are we, really? take part in the Tech Reflects Study here.
