Celebrating a year of growth, innovation and community led impact

In 2025 Deadly Coders continued to grow as one of Australia’s leading Indigenous led digital inclusion organisations. Our purpose remains clear. We want every Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander young person to have the skills, confidence and pathways to thrive in a technology powered future, and We want the tech sector to see the benefit from having strengths, creativity and perspectives from Indigenous peoples.

This year we delivered more programs, reached more students, expanded our team, deepened our partnerships and helped shape national conversations on skills, AI literacy and Indigenous participation in the digital economy. The year also brought awards, recognition and exciting new collaborations that will support our mission for years to come.

This is our 2025 story of impact.

Programs and Student Impact

In 2025 Deadly Coders delivered a significant national footprint of school based incursions, online learning and industry pathways programs.

Program Delivery Snapshot

1,078 students reached through in person STEM, coding and AI learning programs
40 programs delivered across six states and territories
1,951 young people with access to the Deadly Coders Online platform
Programs delivered across government, independent and non government schools including Djarragun College, The Murri School, Worawa Aboriginal College, MITS, Kaurna Plains School and others
Programs targeted regional and remote communities including Northam, Cairns, Stradbroke Island, Dubbo, Moree, Lombadina and Darwin

Across these schools and communities students learned coding, AI literacy, digital technologies and cyber awareness skills in culturally safe and engaging environments. They explored robotics, game design, problem solving and emerging technologies while seeing their cultural identities, stories and futures reflected in the learning.

Geographic Reach

Deadly Coders delivered programs to 18 towns and communities across six states and territories, including:

Queensland — Brisbane, Cairns, Rockhampton, Gladstone and Stradbroke Island
New South Wales — Dubbo, Armidale, Moree and Sydney
Victoria — Melbourne
South Australia — Adelaide
Western Australia — Northam, Cunderdin, Wooroloo, Wundowie, York and Lombadina Community
Northern Territory — Darwin

This national reach reflects our commitment to supporting students regardless of postcode and ensuring that remote and regional communities have the same access to high quality STEM learning as metropolitan areas.

Deadly Coders Academy

One of our proudest achievements in 2025 was the launch of the Deadly Coders Academy, delivered in partnership with ANZ.

The Academy provides a supported pathway into software engineering careers, combining technical learning with cultural safety, mentoring and wrap around support.

2025 Academy Results

11 students commenced the program
9 students graduated
4 students moved into full time software engineering internships with ANZ

These outcomes demonstrate the strength of a model designed for First Nations learners from the start. Students receive academic support, cultural support and industry mentoring. They study in an all First Nations cohort environment that reflects their lived experiences and helps build confidence and readiness for employment.

ANZ are engaged in the conversation about in expanding the Academy nationally to become the foundation of a National Indigenous Tech Talent Pipeline, with future cyber security and data science streams already under discussion.

Return to Country Program

Deadly Coders was honoured to partner with The University of Melbourne, Monash University and Murdoch University to deliver STEM outreach as part of the Return to Country Program.

Working alongside Elders, community leaders and university teams, Deadly Coders coordinated and delivered hands on STEM sessions to primary and high school students in Northam, Western Australia. This initiative connects young people to culture, community and technology in a place-based learning environment that celebrates identity and local knowledge.

Awards and Recognition

2025 was a landmark year for national recognition of our work.

QLD Premiers Award for the Deadly Coders Academy
Tech Diversity Merit Award for Deadly Coders Online
Melbourne University Excellence Award for our contribution to the Return to Country Program

These awards reflect the collective leadership of our staff, Board, students, partners and communities.

Strengthening Our Team

To support our growth and national footprint, we welcomed three outstanding appointments to the Deadly Coders team:

Eylania Naawi (Mualgal, Yidinji, Kullilli and Thunghutti and Kulkulgal)
National Programs Manager
Brad Thompson (Bidjara, Iningai, Gubbi Gubbi and Wakka Wakka)
National School Partnerships Coordinator
Destiny Dewis (Manbarra, connections to Nywaigi and Dhoeybau)
National Partnerships Manager

This expanded team increased our capacity, improved coordination across states and enabled high quality delivery at scale.

Board and Governance

In 2025 we were delighted to welcome Jack Reis, Founder and CEO of Baidam Solutions, to the Deadly Coders Board of Directors.

Jack is one of Australia’s most respected Indigenous leaders in cyber security and social impact. Through Baidam he has demonstrated how Indigenous owned businesses can lead in cutting edge sectors while investing back into community. His strategic insight, industry networks and commitment to purpose strengthen Deadly Coders as we grow the Academy, expand digital programs and engage more deeply with government and industry.

Indigenous Australia Datathon – Cairns

Deadly Coders had the opportunity to facilitate and deliver sessions for students from Thursday Island and surrounding communities in Cairns. Throughout the program, students explored AI and caring for Country through the Minecraft Education platform, and applied their new knowledge in hands-on activities through make-code arcade that encouraged teamwork, creativity, and problem-solving.

Students were also able to reflect on the session and engage in meaningful discussions with our Deadly Coders team, Brad and Eylania, leaving with the tools and knowledge to take back to their communities and share.

In addition to running the sessions, we were privileged to engage in meaningful conversations with Elders and community members from diverse backgrounds, gaining valuable insights and building connections across the region.

National Events and Sector Engagement

Deadly Coders participated in a wide range of forums, conferences and national conversations, sharing insights on digital inclusion, AI literacy and Indigenous pathways into technology.

Key events included:

Science Alive — Adelaide
Dorry Day — Bundaberg
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Symposium — St John’s Anglican College
Gathering Markets — Brisbane City Council
Central Bank Network for Indigenous Inclusion Symposium
Tech Council Election Roadshow
Science Meets Parliament — Science and Technology Australia
Australian Schools Cyber Championships — EdTech Group
MC duties for the QLD Premiers Coding Awards
International Day of Indigenous Peoples — Capgemini
Youth roundtable hosted by Year13, Microsoft and LinkedIn
10 X 10 Philanthropy event — Brisbane
STRYDE4 Corporate Challenge — Sydney
Indigenous Australian Datathon – Cairns

Tech Diversity Awards – Melbourne

We also presented to the Australian Public Service Commission Digital Profession Group, contributed to national AI skills discussions, and continued to advocate for culturally grounded approaches to emerging technologies.

Deadly Coders also joined the K to 12 Education Social Enterprise Learning Group, contributing to collective learning and sector collaboration.

National Workforce and Policy Leadership

This year Deadly Coders:

Signed the NSW Digital Skills Compact 20 percent pledge, committing to support the target that one in five entry level digital hires in NSW will come through alternative pathways
Facilitated a major national roundtable hosted by Microsoft, bringing together government and corporate partners to explore a coordinated national Indigenous tech talent pipeline
Continued consulting and advocating for AI literacy, AI readiness and Indigenous representation in national digital skills policy

These contributions help shape a future where First Nations leadership, knowledge and participation are woven into the foundation of Australia’s AI and technology landscape.

Partnerships and Supporters

Deadly Coders could not have delivered this impact without the support of our partners.

Continuing partners

We thank our long-standing partners who continue to invest in the education and futures of First Nations young people:

New partners in 2025

We were proud to launch new partnerships with:

These partnerships help us scale programs, design culturally safe pathways, expand employment outcomes and deepen community impact

Fire and Wattle Partnership

A special highlight this year was the signing of a partnership with Fire and Wattle, an Indigenous owned business that delivers cultural competency training and cyber security awareness programs.

Fire and Wattle will donate 10 percent of all profits to Deadly Coders, providing sustainable funding that will directly support the expansion of our programs. We are honoured to stand alongside another Indigenous owned organisation committed to community impact.

Looking Ahead

The momentum of 2025 sets the stage for our biggest year yet. With stronger partnerships, expanded national reach, increasing demand for our programs and the continued growth of the Deadly Coders Academy, we are positioned to drive lasting generational change.

Our mission remains unchanged. We want every First Nations young person to have access to great skills, great opportunities and great futures in technology.

We are grateful to our partners, supporters, Board, staff, Elders, families, teachers and students who walk this journey with us.

Together we will continue to close gaps in digital access while creating pathways to high skill, high impact careers that empower communities and shape Australia’s future.