Entry-level roles have all but disappeared from Australia’s digital advertising and ad tech job market, according to IAB Australia’s 2026 Digital Advertising and Ad Tech Industry Talent Review.
These jobs now represent just 1% of available vacancies as AI reshapes day-to-day work and employers prioritise experienced talent.
The annual review, drawn from 54 organisations surveyed in May, shows 49% of open roles now require more than six years’ experience.
The industry vacancy rate has fallen to 2.4%, the lowest since tracking began, with only 40% of companies reporting open roles.
“If the industry wants to maintain a strong Australian media and advertising market, it cannot focus only on short-term efficiency,” said Gai Le Roy, IAB Australia CEO.
“Continued investment in people, leadership capability and future talent pipelines will be critical.
“AI capability is rapidly becoming a baseline expectation across most parts of the market. But the findings also make it clear that technical skills alone are not enough.
“The capability gaps employers are struggling with most are strategic thinking, commercial acumen, leadership and the ability to work with clients and businesses in more sophisticated ways as the market becomes more complex.”
While 42% of organisations reported headcount growth over the past year, 37% contracted and 21% remained flat.
Growth is being led by locally headquartered technology companies, emerging ad tech firms and global businesses still building their Australian presence, while contraction is concentrated among larger established global platforms responding to AI-driven efficiency programs and global restructuring.
The review identified a longer-term risk, warning that a weakening future workforce pipeline could emerge if investment in early-career talent, leadership development and industry capability did not keep pace with change.
Hiring intentions remain cautious, with 23% of organisations expecting to increase hiring over the next six months, 49% expecting staffing levels to remain the same and 28% expecting a decrease.
Other key findings include a continued concentration of roles in NSW, which accounts for 76% of positions compared with 19% in Victoria and 3% in Queensland.
Salary increases have moderated to an average of 3.5% over the past year, while offshoring continues to grow, with 25% of companies reporting an increase over the past 12 months.
Commercial roles continue to dominate the sector, with 50% of the workforce employed in sales and client service roles.
Gender representation is close to parity overall at 46% female and 54% male, though female representation remains low in technology and engineering.
Le Roy said the industry, employers and education providers all had a role to play in addressing the talent gap.
“This is an area where the industry needs to work together. Employers, industry bodies and education providers all have a role to play in ensuring Australia continues to develop the depth of talent and expertise the market depends on,” she said.
IAB Australia said it would use the findings to inform its ongoing training, mentoring, research and capability-building programs across AI, measurement, privacy, leadership and digital advertising fundamentals.
The review called on individuals to treat AI fluency as a baseline requirement rather than a point of difference, and on organisations to build graduate and internship pipelines before the entry-level shortage deepens.
At an industry level, it advocated for more Australian-based training pathways, with measurement capability and AI-for-advertising courses among the most requested by respondents.
Findings from the 2026 Talent Review:
- Hiring intentions remain cautious: 23% of organisations expect to increase hiring over the next six months, while 49% expect staffing levels to stay the same and 28% expect a decrease.
- Commercial roles continue to dominate the sector: 50% of the workforce is employed in sales and client service roles, reflecting the commercial structure of Australia’s digital advertising and ad tech market.
- The industry remains heavily concentrated in NSW: 76% of roles are based in NSW, compared with 19% in Victoria, 3% in Queensland and 1% across South Australia and Western Australia.
- Salary increases have moderated: the average salary increase over the past year was 3.5%, with 3% the most common increase.
- Offshoring continues to increase: 25% of companies reported an increase in offshoring over the past 12 months, while 15% reported increased use of contractors.
- Australian teams are carrying broader regional responsibilities: approximately 47% of Australian-based roles also cover New Zealand and around 31% cover APAC, adding complexity to local workloads and team structures.
- Gender representation is close to parity overall but varies significantly by role: the workforce is 46% female and 54% male, with female representation strongest in marketing and research/analytics but remaining low in technology and engineering.
- The workforce remains concentrated in mid-career age groups: around 88% of the workforce is aged between 25 and 49, while under-25s account for 7.5% and workers aged 50 and over account for 5.3%.
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