Westpac has built a new technology hub in Queensland, which it hopes to create 200 new employment in the state over the next five years.
The software engineering hub on the Gold Coast was initially established as a test to find professionals outside of the big east coast cities of Sydney and Melbourne.
As part of its digitisation strategy, Westpac will strive to expand its technology, engineering, and training capabilities now that the hub is online.
The digital cluster, which will be located in Surfers Paradise, will “extend our technological agenda and attract world-class talent, while also creating employment, training, and development opportunities in Queensland,” according to Chris de Bruin, Westpac’s chief executive of consumer and commercial banking.
“Through new technologies, the hub will focus on bringing together software engineers, programmers, and data professionals who can work in conjunction with our digital teams to make banking simpler and faster for both customers and bankers,” de Bruin added.
“It also provides residents with the option to work for a multinational corporation and advance their careers in the financial industry.”
The centre has been “fitted with the latest tools and technology” for maximum efficiency, allowing engineers to “concentrate on the fun stuff – generating solutions,” according to Westpac consumer and business banking chief information officer Paul Bari.
The Gold Coast was chosen “to blend the finest lifestyle, career, and growth chances into what we perceive as Australia’s own ‘Silicon Beach,'” according to Bari, because more people are “seeking hybrid working choices or a regional transfer.”
“The bank has also partnered with nearby colleges to develop a specialised graduate programme to attract fresh and developing talent,” Bari explained.
