Credit: Dreamstime
The Australian government has handed out $8 million to eight different projects leading cyber skills training.
The amount comes from the government’s $70 million Cyber Security Skills Partnership Innovation Fund and is intended to grow Australia’s cyber security skills by about 7,000 people over the next three years.
La Trobe University was awarded $2.35 million to raise awareness among 80,000 high school students about cyber security skills and training opportunities.
According to Christian Porter, Minister for Industry, Science and Technology, the program also partners with industry players to help small businesses grow their skills.
Other recipients include an Australian Cyber Security Growth Network-led project to develop a practical cyber security traineeship program to support about 200 participants into a cyber security career.
It also includes a central regional TAFE project to improve the number and quality of cyber security trained professionals in regional and remote locations in Western Australia.
TAFE Tasmania will meanwhile launch a Cyber Innovation Training Hub offering virtual and face-to-face training in cyber security.
In NSW, TAFE will run a state Treasury project delivering a six-week cyber security work experience program for year 10 pupils.
Other projects include a CSIRO-led project to up-skill small- to medium-sized business leaders and early career researchers in cyber security and provide 100 university students with work experience.
Alongside this, RightCrowd will now offer post-graduate training with Griffith University and commercial internships providing on-the-job exposure.
Finally, technology training start-up Grok Academy is partnering school, vocational and university students with industry players to develop their cyber security skills.
“We know that it is vital for industry, education providers and governments to work together if we are to support and grow our critical cyber security workforce,” Minister Porter said.
“These projects will help inspire the next generation to consider a cyber security career, as well helping to build industry capability, with experts in the field sharing their knowledge directly with small businesses.”
