The Cyber Skills Academy, launched by Macquarie University this year, harnesses direct partnerships with business and government organisations to provide digital skills education addressing a global shortage in expertise.
A new Macquarie University initiative will address the global digital skills shortage by providing cyber security education expertise via direct industry partnerships.
Launched on January 30, the Cyber Skills Academy (CSA) combines a range of research-backed training programs and microcredential qualifications for a broad group ranging from beginners and high school students, to advanced training for seasoned professionals, to strategic training for executives.
The training programs are designed for commercial and government partners to deliver to their employees.
“We’ve developed a suite of microcredentials designed to address the massive skills gap in digital and cybersecurity roles in both the national and global landscapes,” says Professor Dali Kaafar, Executive Director of Macquarie University’s Cyber Security Hub.
Professor Kaafar says the widening skills gap has led the World Economic Forum to estimate that half of the world’s employees will require reskilling by 2025 to maintain productivity and support economic growth.
“Cyber security encompasses a very broad skill set, too wide to be considered within a single discipline,” says Professor Kaafar. “The CSA taps into expertise from computer science, law, business and social sciences – including ethics.”
Professor Kaafar says the skills gap ranges across very technical capabilities to address response and recovery whenever a cyber breach incident happens, to crucial components in real-world scenarios, such as governance and leadership.
“Our approach encompasses a very wide spectrum of cyber skills, drawing from a solid theoretical foundation to take a hands-on approach to training,” he says.
Microcredential solution
Professor Kaafar says that the demands of the sector have outpaced the recent increase in students enrolling in degrees and diplomas in computer science and cybersecurity.
“We need alternative training approaches to speed up our response to existing and emerging skills shortages,” he says.
The CSA’s suite of microcredentials will apply across a wide range of professional roles in industry.
“These microcredentials will be directly relevant to people in various job functions and roles – some you might not know about until a significant breach occurs,” Professor Kaafar says.
Examples include cyber technicians and specialists who deal with threats, warnings and alerts, as well as information system security developers, system testing and evaluating specialists and cyber incident responders.
Other training offered will address needs in compliance, governance, senior management and leadership roles within corporations, including
cyber policy and strategy specialists and IT investment portfolio managers.
“Executive leaders across organisations are very aware that they urgently need training and education that skills them up to effectively address the decisions they need to make in that world as well,” Professor Kaafar says.
Partnerships are key
The Academy comprises a small team with proven industry experience and a strong network in the cybersecurity training market.
Matt Bushby, Director of the CSA, says microcredentials will be delivered direct to business and government organisations for administration within their own teams..
“We built on existing strategic industry partnerships developed with the University over many years to establish the Cyber Skills Academy and make sure we can deliver what’s needed,” Mr Bushby says.
Mr Bushby says the CSA microcredentials are designed to articulate into Macquarie University award courses and meet the University’s Recognition of Prior Learning requirements.
The courses also align to the Australian Qualifications Framework and meet standard quality assurance mechanisms.
Cyber skills gap
A 2022 report by McKinsey and Company valued the global market for cyber security services at USD $1.5 trillion, growing at 12.5 per cent each year. Training makes up a significant share of this – predicted to be worth USD $12.1 billion by 2026.
“There is a demonstrated gap in the market for accessible, industry relevant cyber security training to both train workers for cyber security roles, and to build awareness for cyber security risk,” says Peter Eckermann, CSA’s Deputy Director.
Professor Kaafar says that through the CSA, Macquarie University can diversify revenue streams and enhance its reputation as a global leader in cyber security education – but can also reach a new student audience, as some microcredentials are recognised as prior learning in certain subjects.
“Through our articulation arrangements, the University can also recognise microcredentials and create valuable new opportunities for prospective international students to enrol in the University’s degree programs,” says Professor Kaafar.
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