Tamworth business scene to benefit from investment in technological solutions and manufacturing

But some industries have fallen by the wayside and need to catch up to complete the city's business puzzle.

Tamworth Business Chamber president Stephanie Cameron said while the city is kicking goals when it comes to agriculture, training and education and health, there is more work to be done in the technology and manufacturing scenes.

Ms Cameron said there is a growing demand among business owners for more IT and technology services as the world moves online.

"We are gearing up as a global economy and a new digital age," she said.

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"Businesses are needing to go online, to have digital management systems and cloud based services."

Ms Cameron said when it comes to finding skilled workers, IT is one of the industries struggling the most.

"We've never needed that sort of digital IT people before.

"More than ever. And they're just not there."

Cloudwize Technologies director Jo Byrnes, said the company had been forced to approach the recruitment of staff "creatively" to keep up with digital solutions demand.

"We've often looked at skill sets we've need and not worried in terms of location," she said.

"For many years we have been running a diversified team."

Ms Byrnes said this meant when COVID-19 came with work from home measures, the company was already well placed to work from anywhere.

Industry wide, Ms Byrnes said the cyber security component of the technology sector is where the shortages are most prevalent.

"They're going to need thousands of thousands more people entering the field over the next four or five years as the challenges increase," she said.

Ms Byrnes said it is crucial the tech company keeps up with the evolving demands from local professionals because for some, their "business stops when the technology stops".

The evolution of the NBN, the pandemic and recent press around cyber attacks is what Ms Byrnes said had led more local business to reach out for help.

Despite cyber security being the most understaffed area, Ms Byrnes said it had recently become the most sought after IT help for businesses.

"Ensuring that data is secured as best it can be is fundamental," she said.

"If businesses aren't investing in cyber security, they're really setting their business up to some significant risks."

Operating a small local business in a regional centre will not offer immunity from a cyber attack, Ms Byrnes said, with security being "everyone's problem".

"Cyber security has always been an agenda topic in our catch ups with clients, and it has been for years," she said.

"But I've found, just in recent weeks, in meetings we've had, people are a lot more alert."

As businesses try to get on the front foot in a digital world, Ms Cameron said improving Tamworth's manufacturing capability would increase the city's resilience.

"What would be really good to see come back would be more manufacturing," she said.

Ms Cameron said the COVID-19 pandemic had shone a light on the need to be producing infrastructure locally.

"It's all well and good to get goods coming in from elsewhere," she said.

"But if something goes wrong, what are we doing to make sure we have a reasonable level of self sufficiency."

The gap in the Tamworth market is in manufacturing and agricultural wholesale, Ms Cameron said.

While these industry's might be the missing pieces in the city's business puzzle, Ms Cameron said shortages across the entire business community are still a concern.

"Unfortunately, I haven't received any good news on that front," she said.

"The situation hasn't changed, it's still incredibly hard to find skilled workers."

To help attract what Tamworth might be missing, the business chamber is focused on growth through networking and support.

"We're always advocating to the federal, state and local governments to make sure they are aware of what business need and ensuring we get the support we need to do good business," she said.

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