Cyber security key to protecting the future of business

TAFE Queensland Faculty Director for Creative and Digital (East Coast region) Angela Lisle has said that more skilled cyber security experts are required to deal with the rising threat of cybercrime.

Employment opportunities for cyber security experts have been forecast to boom for years now, with 2019 data from the Australian Government’s Department of Education, Skills and Employment anticipating a growth of 18.3 per cent nationwide over five years. However in the wake of the pandemic, the need for skilled workers in the field has become increasingly apparent, with more organisations adapting digital solutions in response to restrictions.

Ms Lisle said cyber criminals have grown far more sophisticated in their tactics over the years, and the results can be incredibly damaging to both individuals and businesses alike.

“Technology may be rapidly advancing, but so too are the capabilities of hackers — as we’ve seen in the headlines recently following numerous high-profile cyber attacks,” Ms Lisle said.

“Cyber criminals have an arsenal of methods they can use to obtain any information they deem valuable. It might be bank details and passwords, or personal information and files, which can leave you open to identity theft and financial loss. Or it could be intellectual property, confidential data or private customer information, which can be hugely damaging to a business’s reputation and credibility. Either way, the impacts of cybercrime are very real, and people are seeking skilled specialists to protect themselves and their businesses.”

According to Trend Micro's Cyber Risk Index, released in October last year, 81 per cent of organisations surveyed across the Asia-Pacific region experienced one or more cyber-attacks in the past 12 months. Seventy-seven per cent of those surveyed believed a critical data breach is likely in the next 12 months.

TAFE Queensland’s Mooloolaba campus began offering the Certificate IV in Cyber Security (22334VIC) in 2020 in response to growing industry demand. It has since become a Palo Alto Cyber Security Academy and is on track to become a Cyber Security Centre of Excellence, after the Queensland Government pledged $2 million in funding towards the project.

“Sunshine Coast locals interested in pursuing a career in this rapidly growing industry now have access to the best quality training possible. And with the Certificate IV in Cyber Security (22334VIC) so heavily subsidised under the Queensland Government’s JobTrainer funding, there’s never been a better time to get started,” Ms Lisle said.