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Cyber security is coming to the schools of NSW, with a new course developed to prepare future cyber security experts.
The roll out of the new course is a nationwide first and comes at a time when the cyber climate in Australia is dire, and the cyber workforce is overworked and understaffed.
Developed by Cyber Security NSW in conjunction with the NSW Department of Education, the new course will be available to secondary students in schools around the state. It was developed as part of the 2021 NSW Cyber Security Strategy.
“From learning the fundamentals of cyber security and its important impact on day-to-day life to building hardware and gaining hands-on experience with coding, we are preparing our students for future careers in cyber,” said Minister for Customer Service and Digital Government Victor Dominello.
“Cyber Security NSW has played an important role in developing the learning programs and resources which will be used in the delivery of the cyber security topic in NSW classrooms.
“Whether it is learning how data is sent from one device to another, how cyber technology is used in cities and regions, or understanding the importance cyber security has across different parts of people’s lives — as technology grows and evolves, it is important we give students the skills they need for a digital world.”
Alongside the new course, Cyber Security NSW is also investing in the development of an open-source teaching platform called Cyber City.
Cyber City will assist teachers in delivering the new cyber security curriculum.
“Cyber City gives teachers the tools to create relevant and engaging lessons for students. This is teaching skills beyond just awareness, empowering the future cyber security workforce of Australia,” said Minister for Education Sarah Mitchell.
“Through hands-on learning and simulations, students will build, maintain and automate essential infrastructures such as hydro dams, power grids or satellite telecommunications on a smart city network in the classroom.
“We want to show our students that cyber security is more than inputting code in a computer, in fact 60 per cent of the industry are not coders.”
As a long-term investment, the new course is set to bolster the future of the Australian cyber security industry. Many cyber workers are currently reconsidering or leaving the industry due to burnout caused by being overworked and understaffed.
Australia’s Cyber Security Sector Competitiveness Plan (ACSSCP) has previously stated that by 2026, the industry will face a shortage of 3,000 workers.
At the same time, cyber attack numbers are set to double over the next five years.
Alongside the new course, the NSW government earlier this month announced the new Institute of Applied Technology, which will offer 19 new courses on digital topics including cyber security.
Cyber City will be ready for release next year.
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