Brisbane is about to get very busy. 🏗️ Between now and the 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games, Queensland is planning a large pipeline of venues, transport upgrades, energy projects and supporting infrastructure. Every one of those projects needs technology people: project controls analysts, data engineers, digital engineers, cyber specialists, ERP teams and change managers.
If you employ IT talent in Brisbane, now is the time to plan. The organisations that build their pipelines early will spend less and hire better than those who wait for the peak.
What the build means for tech hiring
Large infrastructure programs create technology demand in waves:
- Planning and design: business analysts, data and GIS specialists, digital engineering and BIM roles.
- Procurement and mobilisation: ERP, finance systems, contract management and project controls.
- Construction: scheduling, reporting, document control, field technology and cyber security for connected sites.
- Operations: asset management systems, OT security, data platforms and customer systems.
Government agencies, tier one contractors, engineering consultancies and technology vendors will all be competing for the same pool of people at the same time.
The current market
Queensland’s unemployment rate was 4.5% in the latest ABS data. Brisbane’s median house rent is $700 a week and vacancy is 0.7%, according to Domain’s September quarter 2026 report. That combination matters: candidates have options, and people moving from interstate face a tight rental market.
Roles likely to tighten first
- Project and program delivery: PMs, schedulers, cost controllers, PMO analysts
- Business analysis for systems that support large programs
- Data and reporting: programs report to government and the public, so data quality and dashboards matter
- Cyber and OT security as more assets become connected
- ERP and asset management: SAP, Dynamics 365, TechnologyOne and specialist asset systems
A practical plan for employers
1. Map your demand 12 to 24 months out
List the programs you are bidding for or delivering, the skills each phase needs, and when. This turns hiring from a series of emergencies into a plan. Our workforce planning playbook has a template.
2. Build a bench before the peak
Keep in touch with good contractors between projects. Pre-screen people and keep a short list for each critical skill.
3. Grow your own
Graduate programs, internships and career-changer pathways take time but pay off when the market is tight. Pair juniors with experienced mentors.
4. Sell Brisbane properly to interstate candidates
Be honest about rents and the rental search, and be specific about salary, hybrid work and relocation support. Lifestyle is a genuine draw, but candidates need the numbers to work.
5. Speed up your process
Two interviews, quick feedback and an offer within a week will win candidates from slower competitors.
6. Look after retention
As demand grows, your people will be approached. Review pay, give interesting work and make sure managers have regular career conversations.
Permanent, contract or both?
Most infrastructure-related technology teams use a blend. Permanent staff provide continuity and knowledge. Contractors cover peaks and specialist phases. Our guide to fixed-term, contract and permanent engagement helps you choose for each role.
Mistakes to avoid
- Waiting until a contract is awarded to start recruiting
- Underestimating how long cleared or specialist roles take to fill
- Relying on a single recruitment channel
- Assuming interstate candidates will relocate without support
- Letting knowledge walk out the door at the end of each project
A scenario to plan for
Picture a mid-sized engineering consultancy that wins two major packages in the same year. Each needs a project controls lead, two schedulers, a data analyst, a document controller and support from the internal IT team. If the firm starts recruiting only when contracts are signed, it competes with every other winning bidder for the same people, usually at higher rates and with longer time to hire. If it has spent the previous six months building relationships with contractors, training juniors and keeping a short list of candidates, it can mobilise in weeks instead of months.
Questions to ask in your next planning meeting
- Which programs are we likely to win in the next 24 months?
- Which technology roles will each need, and when?
- Who in our current team could step up with training?
- Which roles should be permanent, and which contract?
- What would it cost us if a critical role stayed open for three months?
- Which recruitment partners understand infrastructure technology?
The candidate view
Experienced people will have more choice as the build ramps up. They will look at project quality, stability beyond the Games, flexibility and leadership. Employers who can show a clear long-term pipeline, not just one project, will have an edge.
Frequently asked questions
When will Brisbane tech hiring peak?
Demand will rise through the mid-2020s and early 2030s as planning, construction and operations phases overlap. Planning now avoids competing at the peak.
Which IT skills will be most in demand for the 2032 build?
Project delivery, data and reporting, cyber and OT security, ERP and asset management, and digital engineering.
Should we hire contractors or permanent staff?
Usually both. Use permanent staff for continuity and contractors for peaks and specialist phases.
👉 Hiring for this right now? Tell us about the role and a specialist recruiter will come back to you, usually within one business day.
Employer
Employer
Employer
