Learn about the day-to-day responsibilities, required skills, and common qualifications of a business analyst. Explore industry statistics surrounding employment, salary potential, and common weekly hours.
Overview
ICT Business analysts (also known as BAs) are the middlemen between a company’s IT and business needs. They assess an organisation’s systems and infrastructure – pinpointing areas for operational improvement and recommending the appropriate tech-related solutions. This includes evaluating a business’ current hardware, software, and internal/external IT services; and presenting suitable changes to their IT-related operations, systems, and policies, if necessary.
Once changes or upgrades are made, business analysts then monitor their solutions, analysing their efficiency and finding ways to improve them. They may also be tasked with developing new IT-related project plans, along with managing the costs, resources, and workflows for each.
Throughout their role, these professionals educate company leaders and staff on the value of data-driven business changes, while accounting for what’s technologically and financially feasible.
Aspiring business analysts can look forward to a future of opportunity, with a 20.2% project job growth in the coming five years, according to SEEK statistics.
Key Skills
Excellent communication and presentation skills for reporting business data, highlighting problem areas, and a providing valuable IT solutions
Strong project management skills; such as managing costs, resources, and workflows in a required task
Strong analytical skills; required to investigate business processes and pinpoint areas for improvement
Vast knowledge of hardware, software, and IT services – and ability to stay up-to-date on the latest industry developments
Knowledge of SQL to effectively analyse data from business databases
Ability to perform costs benefit analysis
Quick Facts
ICT business and systems analysts can find work in most regions of Australia, with New South Wales and Victoria currently holding the largest share of workers. Weekly salary potential is currently much higher ($2,274) than the all job average ($1,460) with most employees (90%) working full time.
Salary Range
$58,000 - $111,000 (Median: $82,000)*
*Source: Payscale
Average Weekly Hours
42 hours (vs. all jobs average of 44 hours)*
*Source: Job Outlook
Main Industries
Professional, Scientific and Technical Services; Financial and Insurance Services; and Public Administration and Safety
Most Common Qualification Level
47.6% hold a Bachelor’s Degree
STUDY PATHWAYS
Getting the skills you need is simple by studying one of our information technology courses below.
*Sources: payscale.com.au and joboutlook.gov.au – All information is to be used as a guide only, and are accurate at the time of publication.
