Council has won a $75,000 State Government grant to support the Peregian Digital Hub.
Hub Director Chris Boden said the grant would help establish a suite of industry collaboration events and talent development activities, targeting different groups within Noosa’s digital sector.
Events will cater for software and IT developers, digital storytellers such as film and TV producers, online marketers, web and app developers, plus start-up founders and investors.
“With this funding we can help establish these groups and support them to grow their membership. We will also be building an industry directory thus making it easier to hire locally.”
Mr Boden said bringing people from Noosa’s digital sector together in this way was vital for the sector to prosper.
“Noosa is popular with digital entrepreneurs, but many of them work from home. Despite having strong national and international networks, they often aren’t well connected locally.
“When you have a well-organised digital sector it helps spread the word about the exciting things happening locally, as well as attracting new talent and creating opportunities for the young.
“There is so much talent in years 10, 11 and 12, but few programs that link students with work experience and job opportunities in digital fields. This grant will help us better resource our existing programs to fill that gap as well.
“The new industry groups will also allow us to identify talent we didn’t know we had locally. We’re currently developing an industry job board so those in the digital sector can find and apply for local work and to allow those looking for new staff to source home-grown talent.”
Mayor Tony Wellington thanked the State Government for the grant, which will provide $25,000 annually over three years.
“We established the Digital Hub to grow Noosa’s digital sector, broaden our local economy, and support job creation. The State’s investment in the Hub is a welcome endorsement of our economic-diversification goals.”
Mr Boden said the Hub, which opened a year ago and offered both tenancy and co-working space for emerging and established digital business, was getting close to capacity.
“We’ve taken on some exciting new member companies. The latest is a local start-up, mudputty.com. It’s a comprehensive online directory of classes and activities available locally. The business sees the Hub as an ideal base to grow and we’re thrilled to have them.”
