Swinburne University launches AI degree to tackle Australia’s future skills gapSwinburne University has launched a new artificial intelligence degree to prepare graduates for emerging roles – including jobs that do not yet exist.Jayitri Smiles3 min readJune 17, 2026 - 12:00AMProfessor Lan Snell, Swinburne’s Executive Dean of the School of Business, Law and Entrepreneurship. Picture: SuppliedPartner ContentDon't miss out on the headlines from Partner Content. Followed categories will be added to My News.New degrees are preparing students for jobs that don’t even exist yet to help close Australia’s growing skills gap. To respond to the rapidly evolving environment, Swinburne University recently launched the Bachelor of Artificial Intelligence in Business to help keep up with changing workplaces. Executive Dean of the School of Business, Professor Lan Snell, said new tech-first courses were needed as AI reshaped industries and the skills expected from graduates.“The way we’re being disrupted by AI is quite significant and nobody knows what the future is going to look like,” Ms Snell said.“Our university programs need to have a shelf life of at least five to eight years, but we don’t even know what’s going to happen in the next 12 months. “That’s why we’re focused on building enduring skills rather than chasing technology that could change overnight.”It comes as nine in 10 Australian employers believe AI and big data will be among the most in-demand skills in the workforce by 2030, according to World Economic Forum and Australian Industry Group research.“A key lesson from the rise of artificial intelligence for anyone currently in the workforce or about to enter it is to build their digital skills,” Australian Industry Group chief executive Innes Willox told the Herald Sun.“Understanding and being able to work with digital technology is just as important now as learning to read and write.”The Swinburne University of Technology campus. Picture: SuppliedSwinburne aims to produce graduates ready for emerging roles such as AI consultants, project leads and business transformation specialists, as well as careers that may not even exist yet.AI in Business students learn advanced AI literacy, data analytics, programming and ethics alongside one year of practical work experience. They also tackle cyber security in a state-of-the-art financial crime lab developed with KordaMentha.Ms Snell said people of all ages needed to embrace lifelong learning, with WEF research suggesting seven in 10 Australians will need to upskill or re-skill within the next four years to remain competitive in the workforce.“Maybe you already have an undergraduate degree, but you need to make sure you’re constantly competitive,” she said.“Otherwise somebody younger, hungrier and cheaper – or even AI – could take your job.”Upskilling could include completing a trade or a short course rather than undertaking another degree, she added. The Federal Government has set a target for 80 per cent of Australia’s workforce to hold a tertiary qualification by 2050 to keep up with a technology-driven economy.Ms Snell said Swinburne had also seen an increase in mature-age students looking to change careers or strengthen their chances of employment.The power of communication and connectionTeaching human connection is becoming even more important as many employers say it’s getting harder to find. Swinburne University Executive Dean of Swinburne’s School of Business, Professor Lan Snell, said they were doubling down on communication skills and collaboration – identifying them as growing challenges for young Australians entering the workforce. “Simple social skills are becoming lost on this generation, and they are losing the ability to develop genuine rapport,” Ms Snell said. “Our younger Australians are also often unable to articulate their professional value when it counts.”The challenge has prompted Swinburne to build communications training into its business courses alongside technical subjects like artificial intelligence, cyber security and data analytics. Ms Snell said employers increasingly wanted graduates who could combine technology skills with the ability to explain ideas and work with others.Swinburne University Bachelor of Business (Information Technology) student Julia Urban, 21, said people should know technology courses were just as much about communication as coding. Swinburne student Julia Urban is currently in her final year of the Bachelor of Business Information Technology (Professional). Picture: Supplied“The technical writing skills don’t really matter as much anymore as being a good communicator and knowing how to write well,” Ms Urban said. “I had no exposure to IT or technical subjects at school, but I realised the course was a great fit for those who are curious and enjoy problem solving rather than seeing themselves as coders.”Now in her fourth and final year of the degree, Ms Urban has studied traditional business subjects alongside advanced AI, cyber security, data analytics and programming. She has also completed internships as an IT business analyst with Viva Energy and Chemist Warehouse, where she saw first-hand the growing role of AI in the workplace. “The majority of people in workplaces are using AI tools without real education about how to use them or the importance of security,” she said. “So my role is to bridge between super technical people and the rest of the business, like executives who don’t have a tech background.”According to a World Economic Forum report, analytical thinking, resilience, flexibility, agility and curiosity are among the most important “core skills” employers are looking for.Ms Urban hopes to secure a graduate role that helps businesses adopt new technology while keeping people at the centre of decision-making.More related storiesPartner ContentStudents went to Space Camp – and found their futurePARTNER CONTENT: Gold Coast students have returned from a prestigious US Space Camp program with fresh career ambitions, with one student claiming the camp’s highest individual honour.Read morePartner ContentBuilt Australia reshapes Qld with $2.6bn of projectsBuilt Australia has delivered 126 Queensland projects worth $2.6 billion in a decade, with repeat clients and digital innovation driving its continued dominance.Read more