Reflections from Australia's biggest quantum careers fair

At the sold-out Quantum Future Talent (QFT) 2026 Careers Fair last month, more than 330 attendees gathered at Sydney Masonic Centre for a dynamic exploration of the opportunities emerging across Australia’s vibrant quantum ecosystem.

With 93% of surveyed attendees agreeing they would recommend the event to a friend or colleague, QFT set the standard for quantum talent networking and connection, according to those aspiring to secure a place in this fast-developing sector.

From leading keynotes to curated networking opportunities, here’s a recap of the main highlights and feedback on the day.

Opening keynote: Dr Cathy Foley – Australia’s 9th Chief Scientist

Likening the volume of activity and investment in Australia’s quantum industry to a “hidden miracle” – with 26 research organisations, 24 institutions, $1.6 billion of expected economic impact and more than 40 local quantum companies – Dr Foley encouraged attendees to remain optimistic about their future prospects in quantum.

“We’ve got incredible capability. When you remember that Australia is the world’s 13th biggest economy, there’s 0.3% of the world’s population, and yet we’re up there. If we were in sport, they’d be putting this on the front page of the papers.”

Dr Foley called on people in the room to join Australia’s future quantum industry, not just for these predicted economic benefits, but because “the work we’re doing is going to solve intractable problems.”

She highlighted the importance of continuous learning – speaking from her personal experience of “learning every day” – and on the value of self-reflection to articulate your strengths and areas for improvement.

And while the quantum field is broad and multidisciplinary, with varying requirements across photonics, manufacturing or error correction, there are some fundamental attributes that can help candidates stand apart in this flourishing job market.

In particular, Dr Foley noted how events like the Quantum Future Talent Careers Fair can help open doors by giving people the opportunity to seek a personal introduction and forging new networking connections.

“One of the things that's really critical is being able to pitch your ideas and being able to stand up and do this without feeling like death is a better option,” Dr Foley joked. “It’s really important, and one of the ways to do that is just practise over and over again. So learn to give a good talk.”

Featured keynote: Professor Barney Glover – Australia’s Jobs and Skills Commissioner

In his featured keynote, Professor Barney Glover AO provided an overview of Australia’s labour market and hiring activity, to help contextualise how roles across the quantum industry compare.

As Australia’s Jobs and Skills Commissioner, he noted that quantum has “gone ahead in leaps and bounds” in recent years, with Jobs and Skills Australia’s (JSA) latest jobs report indicating technological industries like quantum are “crying out for qualified people”

“It’s great to be in a position in this room with so many smart people that are thinking quantum, to know that you’re in an industry in demand,” he said.

He pointed to the growth in professional, scientific and technical services – where quantum roles reside – with 81,000 more jobs and 6.1% growth in this space in the last 12 months as further evidence of positive shifts in Australia’s labour market towards quantum-geared roles.

In JSA’s latest mapping of trends in the labour market, released in late 2025, quantum computing scientists are also one of 10 emerging roles in the data and technologies theme, signalling significant growth in this field.

Professor Glover rounded out his keynote with a reminder of the “human-centric skills” that complement technical skills across any number of quantum domains – including communication, critical thinking, research literacy, ethical security, problem solving in ambiguous environments, as well as interdisciplinary collaboration and teamwork.

“I’m sure it’s going to be true in any number of these [quantum] companies that are recruiting: adaptability and continuous learning are just some of the key skills,” Professor Glover said.

Industry Meets Talent sessions

For the very first time, QFT attendees had the chance to connect directly with leading industry employers at an exclusive ‘Industry Meets Talent’ session before the official program commenced.

A total of 83 pre-selected candidates took part in these structured speed networking sessions with BTQ, Emergence Quantum, Diraq and QUBIC. These sessions were made possible thanks to Industry Meets Talent sponsor, Quantum Australia and QUBIC (Gold Sponsor).

“It was really great to see the talent pool growing. It is an excellent opportunity for [candidates] to interact with the industry,” said one industry participant.

QFT Exhibitor feedback

Many of the 30 exhibitors praised the large throughput of attendees, the mix of participating organisations, the highly engaged and genuinely curious students, as well as the great awareness-raising opportunities thanks to the lively crowd of participants as highlights from the day.

“I had more engagement than I would normally expect at an event of this kind.”

“A well-oiled event with clear structure and a relevant audience…this is the first [event] that I believe demonstrated the strengths of the sector.”

“Plenty of people present, well organised and great venue.”

In their own words – attendees

“The event was highly informative, well-organised, and provided excellent networking opportunities with researchers and industry professionals.”

“The event presents a valuable opportunity to connect with top quantum companies and researchers in Australia.”

“It was valuable to see the scope of the quantum industry and understand the future expectation of the landscape.”