Hundreds of high-tech Qantas jobs as SA secures a new employment record

The Malinauskas Labor Government and Qantas have today announced a landmark commercial agreement projected to deliver more than 420 new technology jobs in South Australia, further strengthening the state’s position as a national leader in digital innovation.

Under the agreement, Qantas will establish a dedicated Product Innovation Centre in Adelaide’s CBD – the first of its kind outside of Sydney.

The announcement comes as the Australian Bureau of Statistics confirmed there are more South Australians in work than at any other time in history.

The number of South Australians employed reached a record high of 986,500, with unemployment falling from 4.6 per cent to 4.3 per cent, on a seasonally adjusted basis.

The Qantas Product Innovation Centre will significantly enhance South Australia’s innovation ecosystem and digital capabilities, consolidating Qantas’s technology and digital teams into a single regional delivery hub.

The Centre is expected to create hundreds of new roles by the end of 2028, including UI/UX designers, software developers, business analysts, and product owners.

It will be supported by a local leadership team and dedicated HR and administrative staff, ensuring strong regional capability while maintaining close alignment with Qantas’s national operations and headquarters in New South Wales.

The Centre will also benefit from strategic partnerships, including a future workforce collaboration with Adelaide University to attract and develop top graduate talent, building a strong pipeline of professionals with advanced AI and digital skillsets.

The University partnership will also support research collaboration, through the Australian Institute for Machine Learning (AIML), providing scholarships for PhD and Honours students in the Institute’s Industrial AI program.

This initiative marks a significant step forward in South Australia’s position at the forefront of Australia’s digital future, demonstrated through the state’s leading tech research, thriving innovation and growing workforce.

Quotes

Attributable to Peter Malinauskas

My government is committed to growing jobs, lifting South Australia’s economic complexity and improving the standard of living for all South Australians.

Today the ABS has confirmed we have more South Australians in jobs than ever.

This historic agreement with Qantas will help supercharge growth in new highly skilled, high-tech jobs.

Through strategic partnerships under this agreement, including the collaboration between Adelaide University and the Australian Institute for Machine Learning (AIML), we are building a strong pipeline of talent with advanced AI and digital skillsets.

This initiative will ensure South Australia remains at the forefront of emerging technologies and future workforce opportunities.

Attributable to Joe Szakacs

We warmly welcome this significant investment into South Australia by Qantas, which is an endorsement of our state’s economy and our government’s pro-business attitude.

Today’s announcement adds to the more than $3 billion that has already been secured by Invest SA in just its first three years, after the dedicated agency was established by the Malinauskas Government to fulfill an election commitment.

Our Government’s investment efforts are focused on attracting projects like this that result in well-paid, secure jobs that build our future economy.

Attributable to Qantas Group CEO Vanessa Hudson

Adelaide offers access to world-class universities, a thriving technology sector, and the ability to scale our in-house capability.

This is why we’re excited to be working with the South Australian government to start and grow our new Centre.

By bringing together the best Australian talent, the Centre will transform how we deliver for our customers, creating smarter, more seamless travel experiences for millions of Qantas customers.

Attributable to Professor Jessica Gallagher, Deputy Vice Chancellor, International and External Engagement, Adelaide University

Adelaide University is pleased to be entering into a strategic partnership with one of the Australia’s best-known enterprises, Qantas.

Qantas and Adelaide University share a mutual interest in driving innovation and technological advancements, especially in the field of AI, supporting workforce development and contributing to the long-term future of Australia’s aviation sector.