Mark Zuckerberg, who was 40 years old this year, is the co-founder and CEO of Meta, one of the world's largest technology companies. Known for launching Facebook from his Harvard dorm room in 2004, when he was just 20 years of age, Zuckerberg is a central figure in the tech industry and has been both celebrated for his innovation and criticised for issues Facebook’s management of privacy, misinformation, and corporate influence.
However, it’s his statement that, ‘young people are just smarter,’, which he made as part of a speech at the Y Combinator Startup School, which has rightly drew criticism for perpetuating ageism in an already ageist sector, highlighting not just Silicon Valley's, but the whole tech sector’s youth-focused culture.
Age discrimination at work is not new. In our Voice of Experience study, 53% of respondents confirmed they had been discriminated against when looking for a new role, based solely on their age. Those respondents were in their 50s, but it appears that age discrimination in tech can start from as early as 35. With the median age of employees at major tech companies being under 30, people in their mid-30s become outliers, which according to a survey by Dice Diversity and Inclusion, has seen 68% of US tech workers aged in their 30s claim that their career has been limited by ageism.
Along with other sectors, vacancy rates in the tech sector locally have been fluctuating due to the shifts in the labour market. Although demand for talent remains high, advertised ICT roles have dropped back to pre-pandemic levels. However, across Australia, by 2030, the tech sector hopes to be employing 1.2 million people, which will entail the hiring of an additional 635,000 workers over the next 5 years, with the growth being driven by roles in cybersecurity, artificial intelligence, and cloud computing, all of which continue to experience skill shortages
However, vacancy rates in the tech sector are already 60% higher than the national average with the most severe shortages in the more technical occupations like software programming and computer networking.
The Tech Council of Australia’s (TCA) Digital Employment Forum has identified several key barriers to reaching these targets, amongst which includes a need to attract more older Australians.
‘Attracting and retaining talent in the tech industry requires us to break down the biases that limit our workforce.’ Said Shayne Tanner, CEO of Campfire Digital Services, a leading Australian IT systems and service provider. He continued;
‘Ageism not only restricts access to the immense experience and knowledge of older workers, but it also reduces the diversity of perspectives that drive true innovation.’
Contextually, 36% of our population is currently over 50 with a 67% participation rate. People aged 50+ account for 6.2m workers, but less than 50% work in full-time positions. Our population is ageing and by 2040, people aged 50 – 59 years will be 15% greater by proportion of the working population. Within this group, 40% of midcareer Australians are open to working in tech, with, according to the TCA, 7% already having up to 80% of the skills and experiences required by tech businesses.
Despite this assessment, the tech sector still has a youth-centric culture, which seems to be based on four erroneous, but persistent stereotypes, namely:
The first steps to addressing the intrinsic and persistent ageism in the tech sector are through awareness, education and advocacy and it was this need to improve the tech industry’s appeal to midcareer workers that encouraged Shayne Tanner and Campfire Digital Services to sign up to AgeInc’s endorsed employer program.
‘In an industry that thrives on innovation and diverse perspectives, ageism not only undermines our values but also limits our potential.’ Said Tanner, CEO of Campfire. ‘We've taken a public stand against ageism because it’s essential to recognise the value that professionals of all ages bring to the table—whether through fresh ideas, decades of experience, or a deep understanding of the technologies that have shaped our world. Inclusion means more than gender or ethnicity; it also means age. We need all generations working together to drive the future of tech, and to be clear, Campfire is better off because of how we engage people from across the age spectrum.’
Becoming an endorsed age inclusive employer, like Campfire Digital, offers several advantages that go beyond simply fostering a diverse and inclusive workplace. More employers taking a public stance against ageism is crucial because it fosters awareness, challenges harmful stereotypes, and drives a cultural shift toward valuing age diversity. By openly addressing ageism, companies set an industry standard, encouraging others to adopt inclusive practices. This not only attracts and retains talented workers of all ages but also enhances innovation and collaboration through diverse perspectives.