Aussie TAFEs to offer cyber security certifications

Australia's TAFEs have partnered to offer national qualifications in cyber security from this year.

The initiative, led by Box Hill Institute in Victoria, was announced today by AustCyber (formerly known as the Australian Cyber Security Growth Network).

The certificate and diploma-level qualifications were developed in partnership with industry and will provide students with "hands on skills needed for Australia's cyber security workforce".

The Certificate IV in Cyber Security 22334VIC and Advanced Diploma of Cyber Security 22445VIC courses can be undertaken on a full-time or part-time basis, the latter to allow employers to upskill their ICT workforce or bring on apprentices.

AustCyber said the curriculum had been designed to allow cyber security experts and mentors from within the industry to contribute to practical training for students, and to ensure course content is "delivered with a real world lens".

The courses will be available at Box Hill Institute, Canberra Institute of Technology (ACT), and TAFEs across NSW, Qld, WA, and SA from this year.

TasTAFE and Charles Darwin University will "work closely with industry in their respective jurisdictions to plan implementation in 2018".

"Australia like other countries has a major skills gap in cyber security work roles making it difficult for employers to recruit appropriately skilled job-ready graduates," AustCyber said.

The organisation has estimated that at least an additional 11,000 technical cyber security specialists will be needed to meet demand by Australian organisations over the next decade.

"The new ‘hands-on-keyboard’ courses will open pathways to learners seeking a potential new career meeting the growing security challenges faced by Australian employers," AustCyber said.

"The fact that it is a single curriculum offered across the country will give employers consistency and will provide a measurable impact in meeting the cyber security skills gap."

Many of Australia's universities offer their own cyber security degrees.