Five years ago, the assumption was simple: study tech in Geelong, move to Melbourne for work. That equation is starting to shift.

Recent graduate employment data from Deakin University shows 34% of 2025 IT graduates found their first role in the Geelong region—up from 19% in 2020. Still a minority, but the trend is moving in the right direction.

What’s Driving the Change

Several factors are contributing to more local opportunities:

Remote work normalisation. Companies that previously required Melbourne office presence are now hiring across Victoria. A graduate in Geelong can work for a Sydney firm without relocating.

Geelong tech cluster growth. The Geelong Tech Precinct now hosts over 40 technology companies, ranging from startups to regional offices of larger firms. That’s up from about 15 five years ago.

Cost arbitrage. Melbourne salaries minus Melbourne rent often leaves less than a Geelong salary with Geelong rent. Some graduates are doing the maths and choosing to stay.

Quality of life. This one’s harder to quantify, but multiple graduates mentioned preferring the coastal lifestyle over inner-city living.

The Roles Available

Not every tech job exists in Geelong yet. The strongest local demand is for:

• Web development (particularly for local businesses going digital)
• IT support and systems administration
• Data analysis (manufacturing and logistics companies driving this)
• Digital marketing with technical skills

More specialised roles—machine learning engineers, security specialists, certain enterprise development positions—remain concentrated in Melbourne. Graduates targeting those paths typically still need to relocate or work remotely for city employers.

Graduate Perspectives

Emma Chen graduated from Deakin’s Computer Science program last year. She’s now working as a developer for a Geelong-based logistics software company.

“The salary’s about 10% less than I’d get in Melbourne,” she said. “But my rent’s 40% less. And I can actually surf before work.”

Not everyone has the same experience. Marcus Webb, who graduated the same year, searched locally for three months before accepting a Melbourne role.

“The Geelong jobs that existed weren’t right for what I wanted to do. Maybe in a few years there’ll be more options.”

What Universities Are Doing

Deakin has been working to strengthen local industry connections. Their Work Integrated Learning program places students with regional employers during their degrees. About 30% of participating students receive job offers from their placement companies.

Gordon TAFE is also expanding technology offerings, focusing on skills that align with local employer needs—particularly in areas where four-year degrees might be overkill for the actual job requirements.

Challenges Remaining

The regional tech ecosystem isn’t there yet:

Limited senior roles. Graduates can often find entry-level positions, but career progression sometimes requires eventually moving to Melbourne. The mid-to-senior talent pipeline in Geelong is still developing.

Startup funding. Venture capital and angel investment remain heavily Melbourne-concentrated. Geelong founders often need to maintain Melbourne relationships to access capital.

Networking. Tech meetups and industry events are less frequent regionally. Online communities help, but in-person connections remain valuable.

The Broader Trend

Geelong’s experience mirrors patterns across regional Victoria. Ballarat, Bendigo, and Shepparton are all seeing modest growth in tech employment, though none at Geelong’s scale.

The Regional Development Victoria has been funding various digital economy initiatives, including grants for businesses establishing regional tech operations. Whether these programs are driving the trend or just riding it is debatable.

Looking Forward

The 34% figure probably won’t jump to 50% overnight. But incremental improvement matters. Each graduate who stays and succeeds makes the case for the next one.

For students currently deciding where to study or work, the advice from recent graduates is consistent: don’t assume Melbourne is the only option, but don’t assume regional roles exist for every specialisation either. Research specific companies and roles rather than relying on general trends.

The regional tech story is still being written. The early chapters are more positive than many expected.