7 in-demand digital skills you can learn with Academy Xi
Want to future proof your career by becoming more technically savvy? We’ve got 7 new courses to help you do just that.
We’re thrilled to announce that you can now find Academy Xi’s suite of Transform courses through Open Universities Australia.
These short courses will teach you the most sought-after tech skills in Australia, from scratch. Think areas like data analytics and software engineering, which Hays recruiters see as the future of IT employment.
"Our Transform courses are designed as practical intensive bootcamps for career changers to fast track their move into high-demand digital roles," explains Will Phillips, Academy Xi's Head of People and Talent Experience. "We've supported learners from an extensive range of past professions to make career transitions and develop the essential skills needed to thrive in today's tech-driven job market."
Intrigued? Let's explore what you can study to see which course (and career) interests you.
The 7 areas you can study online with Academy Xi
1. UX/UI design
Consider it if you love: Visual design, psychology and human behaviour, and thinking strategically.
What makes this course worth studying?
Have you ever been let down by an experience with a website or application, and thought about how you’d do things differently?
This user experience (UX) and user interface (UI) design course shows you how to develop smooth and enjoyable journeys across websites, apps and games. You’ll learn all the fundamentals, including how the design process works, how to do user research and testing, and how to turn your ideas into prototypes and designs.
What are the career outcomes?
With UX/UI jobs expected to grow by 12.9% over the next five years as businesses focus on developing their digital experiences, it’s a good time for a career jump. And because these are such specialised roles, you’re likely to be well-paid, even as a beginner.
After finishing this course, you could apply for a role as a UX designer, UI designer, interaction designer or user experience researcher—jobs with starting salaries in the $65,000 to $130,000 range.
Read more about UX/UI Design: Transform
2. Graphic design
Consider it if you love: Creativity and visual arts, solving problems, and collaborating with others.
What makes this course worth studying?
Talented graphic designers know how to translate other people’s ideas into appealing designs, and bring them to life using the right software.
The Academy Xi team believes the best way to learn this is to work directly on client projects—which is why they give you that opportunity in this course.
“Often, learners work on several real projects for real clients to develop capabilities and a portfolio of work they can share with future employers,” Will explains. “So rather than working on case studies or hypothetical projects, learners work in teams to deliver meaningful results and positive impact for real clients, often leading to future projects and job opportunities."
What are the career outcomes?
You’ll be prepared for a role as a graphic designer or visual designer—jobs with starting salaries in the $60,000 to $100,000 range.
Read more about Graphic Design: Transform
3. Software engineering
Consider it if you love: Solo work, learning programming languages, and creative problem-solving.
What makes this course worth studying?
There’s an Australia-wide shortage of software engineers right now. We have more jobs than we can fill, and that’s only expected to continue over the next six years.
This course will give you the technical skills you need to make a start in the industry—and it covers a lot in a short amount of time. You’ll learn the most fundamental programming languages, including JavaScript and Python, and cover front- and back-end development so you can work as a full-stack developer.
"Through our Career Support Program, from day one learners get support from expert career coaches, and an AI-powered career platform that assists learners to enhance their CV, LinkedIn profile, and even practice interviewing 24/7,” says Will.
What are the career outcomes?
Move into a role as a software engineer, full stack developer, or software developer, with starting salaries in the $60,000 to $130,000 range.
Read more about Software Engineering: Transform
4. Front-end web development
Consider it if you love: Visual design and creativity, learning and experimentation, and collaborating with others.What makes this course worth studying?
It focuses exclusively on front-end development, which means you’ll learn how to code, and then how to turn that code into responsive, user-friendly website designs. The most exciting thing about this course is that you get to put your skills into action and make two major projects reality, with constructive feedback from your mentors and peers.What are the career outcomes?
Walk away with a skillset that will prepare you for a role as a front-end developer, web developer, or software developer—jobs with starting salaries in the $55,000 to $110,000 range. You’ll also gain the knowledge to communicate with developers and UX designers in a non-developer role—which is a valuable skill in its own right.
Read more about Front-End Web Development: Transform
5. Data analytics
Consider it if you love: Statistics and maths, solving puzzles, and paying attention to details.
What makes this course worth studying?
Data analysis is fast becoming one of the most in-demand tech areas you can move into. If you need proof, look no further than SEEK, where there are over 8,000 job postings this month alone!
In this hands-on course, you’ll work alongside data experts from industry juggernauts including Adobe and Optus. They’ll show you how to find meaningful insights from the massive amounts of data that are available to businesses today, plus how to make predictions and identify risks and opportunities.
What are the career outcomes?
After finishing this course you could apply for a role as a data analyst or business intelligence analyst—jobs with starting salaries in the $55,000 to $120,000 range.
Read more about Data Analytics: Transform
6. Product management
Consider it if you love: Leading projects, inspiring people, and thinking strategically.
What makes this course worth studying?
Product management is a great tech career to consider if you’re a leader who’d prefer to be more strategic than hands-on, because you only need a top-level understanding of software development to speak the same language as your team.
In this course, you’ll get to know how product development works from beginning to end. That includes how to build a roadmap, how to conduct research and testing, and how to rally a team using Agile principles, which is the most common way of managing tech industry projects.
What are the career outcomes?
Finish with a portfolio of case studies you can use to apply for a job as a product manager or product owner—roles with starting salaries in the $70,000 to $130,000 range.
Read more about Product Management: Transform
7. Cyber security analytics
Consider it if you love: Solving problems, managing risks, and thinking outside the box.
What makes this course worth studying?
Have you noticed there are data breach stories in the news almost every week now? It’s because Australia has a massive cybersecurity skills shortage. The industry needs about 5,000 new workers every year to keep up with the problem, and it’s nowhere close to achieving that.
This Academy Xi course will give you the practical skills you need to go after those opportunities in a matter of months. You’ll learn how to keep networks secure, protect business systems, and respond to cybersecurity threats.
What are the career outcomes?
You’ll be ready for roles in cyber security analysis, penetration testing, security consulting or information security—all jobs with starting salaries in the $70,000 to $150,000 range.
Read more about Cyber Security Analytics: Transform
Want to find out more about Academy Xi’s professional training? Explore the available short courses now.
Or discover even more related courses across IT & computer science and visual design.
