Matthew launches his Cyber Career with TAFE Queensland

After finishing high school and taking a gap year, Matthew pursued his interest at TAFE Queensland, enrolling in the Certificate IV in Cyber Security (22603VIC).

The course offered him a practical pathway in a condensed learning environment, teaching him the skills he needed to enter an industry he knew he wanted to be part of.

“I always wanted to do something in the IT space, but I wasn’t sure exactly what until I came across cyber security,” Matthew said.

“The certificate IV let me get straight into learning the specific skills I needed, without committing to a multi-year university degree.”

Matthew was drawn to the challenge and complexity of how IT systems interoperate, and how cyber security professionals work to protect them.

TAFE Queensland’s hands-on training gave him early exposure to real-world tools like Splunk and Microsoft Sentinel, which he now uses daily as a cyber security analyst at Brisbane-based company dotSec.

One of Matthew’s highlights from the course was participating in an international competition, the Cyber Bit Intercollegiate Cup.

Working with a team of TAFE Queensland students from across the state, Matthew competed against university teams from around the globe in an incident response “capture the flag” challenge.

“We were using industry-standard tools to investigate simulated cyber-attacks and find indicators of compromise - things like malware files and other artefacts,” he explained.

“That hands-on experience was invaluable, and it gave me confidence to step into the real world with the job-ready skills that I could use straight away.”

Matthew credits TAFE Queensland’s experienced teachers and practical training environment, including the world-class Cyber Security Training Operation Centre and Robotics Lab featuring an interactive Lego City, for preparing him for industry work.

“Coming to class was more engaging than school because learning cyber security was something I was passionate about,” he said.

“The teachers were great at explaining the theory and how to apply it, especially in networking and coding. Getting on the command line and working with real switches, routers, and Python scripts enhanced my technical interest, knowledge and skills.”

His positive experience was further enhanced by being around like-minded classmates with the same passion and enthusiasm for learning, creating powerful momentum.

“We weren’t just chasing grades; we were chasing the skills that we knew would prepare us for our careers.”

“We pushed, learned from and challenged each other, which was very motivating. Studying in that environment, in the amazing facilities where everyone genuinely wanted to be, was refreshing,” he said.

“When you’re surrounded by people who are just as passionate as you, it creates this momentum and you don’t want to fall behind or let them down either.”

Since graduating, Matthew has been working at dotSec, a Brisbane-based cyber security firm with over 25 years of experience.

After meeting company representatives at a cyber security conference, he landed the role and encouraged anyone interested to get out and network.

“Going to events like BSides, CrikeyCon, OWASP, and OSCP meetups is valuable,” he said.

“Building connections, gaining certifications like Security+ or Offensive Security Certified Professional, and discussing what you’ve learned helps you break into the industry.”

Matthew has no hesitation in recommending TAFE Queensland’s cyber security course to anyone wanting a career in an exciting industry.

“TAFE Queensland set me up to start my career. I learned a lot and really enjoyed it. The chance to work with industry-standard cyber security tools and get hands-on skills has been the most rewarding part of it for me,” concluded Matthew.