Insider Brief
- Sydney Quantum Academy is hosting the sold-out Quantum Future Talent event in Chatswood on August 18 to introduce students, teachers and the public to quantum technology and career pathways.
- More than 500 students from Years 8 to 12 will attend hands-on demonstrations, expert presentations and an exhibition highlighting quantum technology applications.
- SQA has also launched a curated Quantum Learning Hub and will provide participating schools with curriculum-aligned resources covering quantum concepts and education pathways.
Press release – With tens of thousands of local quantum jobs predicted in coming years, SQA is hosting Quantum Future Talent: From Curiosity to Career in Chatswood today as part of National Science Week (15–23 August).
The sold-out event will see more than 500 students from Years 8 to 12, teachers, careers advisers and the general public explore an exciting showcase of all that quantum has to offer – including an overview of the career pathways into the field, which is estimated to represent 19,400 jobs by 2045 in a $6 billion local industry (CSIRO).
According to the latest available State of Australian Quantum Report 2024, only 27% of Australians had heard of quantum technologies. To help more people engage with the field, SQA has launched a new curated collection of quantum learning resources on its Quantum Learning Hub.
Schools attending Quantum Future Talent will also receive a series of curriculum-aligned teacher and student resources outlining training pathways and key quantum concepts to inspire curiosity and help build the local quantum talent pipeline.
“The future of quantum is not decades away – it’s already taking shape today – and the workforce needed to support it is growing just as quickly,” said SQA Director, Professor Peter Turner.
“Globally, demand for quantum talent is already outpacing supply, creating significant opportunities for students and future jobseekers. For instance, research from McKinsey and Company shows that for every three quantum jobs on offer globally, there is currently only one qualified candidate ready to fill them.
“We want participants to leave the event with a better understanding of quantum, why it matters, and how they can be part of this emerging industry.”
Quantum Future Talent features hands-on quantum demos, expert presentations from leading researchers including Scientia Professor Andrea Morello (UNSW Sydney) and 20 exhibitors. It also offers Sydney audiences an exclusive preview of Questacon’s newest exhibition, ‘Quantum Tomorrow: Imagined Futures’.
With airborne sculptures and life-sized animations on a massive video wall, the exhibition distils scientific discoveries into an artistic expression of quantum’s potential across diverse applications – from farming and food to sports and beauty.
“Quantum has a reputation for being complex and mysterious, but our goal is to show that you don’t need to be a physicist to explore the potential of quantum technologies – just like how you don’t need to be a computer engineer to use computers,” said Michaela Ripper, Exhibition Developer from Questacon, a guest speaker at today’s event.
“We already use quantum technologies every day – lasers, LEDs, GPS and the transistors in computers chips all rely on the quantum behaviours of their components to work.
“The next generation of quantum technologies will be no different – they’ll impact all of us, so we want everyone to feel welcomed into this conversation.”
EVENT DETAILS
- Cost: Free – pre-registration essential
- Date: Tuesday 18 August 2026
- Time: 10.30am – 2.00pm
- Venue: The Concourse, 409 Victoria Avenue, Chatswood, NSW
