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CyberCX has kicked off the largest private sector training academy for cyber security professionals in Australia, aiming to empower and develop homegrown talent.
To help address the chronic skills shortage facing the cyber security industry, the CyberCX Academy is seeking students from a diverse range of backgrounds and experiences.
Set to deliver 500 additional cyber security professionals into the sector over the next three years, the CyberCX Academy will represent the single largest private sector commitment to cyber security training in Australia. With CyberCX Academy's commitment to a more diverse cyber workforce, recruitment is targeting females and under-represented groups.
Successful graduates will be job-ready with skills and certifications across several critical cyber domains including security testing, cloud security, cyber governance, risk and compliance, identity management, digital forensics and incident response.
John Paitaridis, CyberCX CEO, is calling for a "step change in investment and approach".
"At CyberCX, our mission is to secure our communities and that is why we are proud to be making the largest private sector investment in the future of Australia's cyber security workforce.
"The CyberCX Academy will seek to attract a much broader and diverse pool of talent than traditional early careers programs, with pathways available to university and TAFE graduates, school leavers, veterans, as well as people wanting to change careers or re-enter the workforce.
"The current scarcity of a cyber-trained workforce is one of the biggest issues facing the economy," Paitaridis said.
The CyberCX Academy candidates are set to have a unique opportunity to be mentored by a number of Australia's leading cyber security experts, enabled by its model that is designed to combine classroom training with practical experience from the first day.
Rosemary Driscoll, CyberCX Academy director, noted that the cyber security industry needs to make itself more attractive and more accessible to a wider range of workers.
"We believe the CyberCX Academy will achieve this.
"The inaugural CyberCX Academy cohort includes a former chemist, a retail worker, and a teacher alongside university and TAFE graduates – it’s a group as diverse as the community we seek to safeguard and serve," Driscoll said.
Paitaridis echoed Driscoll's comments about the new program.
"We look forward to working with government and industry to develop more pathways for Australians to move into this exciting industry characterised by smart, secure jobs.
"CyberCX Academy will deliver," Paitaridis concluded.
[Related: US boosts bounty to $10m for North Korean hacker tip-offs]