South Bank Operations Centre hosts Cyber Battle Australia

To ensure our students graduate job-ready and can protect organisations against malicious attacks, TAFE Queensland forms industry partnerships to keep training sharp and equip students with in-demand cyber security skills.

In early April 2025, TAFE Queensland's Cyber Security Training Operations Centre at its South Bank campus transformed into a high-stakes digital battleground as it hosted a Boot Camp, the first leg of Cyber Battle Australia 2025.

Facilitated by the Australian Cyber Collaboration Centre, the Boot Camp saw 45 Certificate IV in Cyber Security (22603VIC) students from TAFE Queensland's Southwest, Brisbane and TAFE Online regions receive expert training from their partners.

The Australian Cyber Collaboration Centre builds cyber resilience across Australia through collaboration, expertise, and partnerships to make cyber security accessible and achievable for all organisations, fostering a safer digital landscape and a stronger cyber workforce.

The Boot Camp saw students connect with over 300 others in Adelaide, Brisbane, Canberra, Melbourne, Perth, and Sydney. Students tested their cyber skills against one another, defended digital infrastructure, and took the first step toward national glory in a dynamic Capture the Flag (CTF) competition.

Using mission-based learning, where participants play and compete in rounds of cyber security exercises, participants applied their cyber skills to collect "flags" within a provided virtual IT environment using a world-class, NATO-awarded cyber range.

Expert instructors led the boot camp from industry partner Trend Micro, who connected TAFE Queensland students to Tarian Cyber and Australian Women in Security Network industry speakers, who provided valuable insights into real-world career pathways and challenges.

Developed in Estonia and run in dozens of countries worldwide, the Cyber Battle is a unique challenge that places participants in a virtual environment to detect, defend, and disrupt digital threats in real time.

Helping the students compete during the Brisbane Boot Camp was the South Bank campus's world-class Cyber Security Training Operations Centre, which hosted the action-packed event.

Featuring cutting-edge equipment and immersive simulation tools, the Training Operations Centre offers students an unparalleled environment.

The computer labs feature advanced IT infrastructure, enabling students to compete in the Boot Camp against each other and complete the challenges they'll face in the real world.

The Boot Camp also helped students hone the technical knowledge and strategic thinking required for high-pressure environments by simulating a real-world scenario.

TAFE Queensland's strong industry connections and collaboration with the Australian Cyber Collaboration Centre helped students learn from the best, using tools and methods aligned with national and international cyber defence practices.

This blend of industry connection, practical training, education and experience under expert guidance sets TAFE Queensland apart – ensuring students graduate trained, confident, and job-ready.

TAFE Queensland supported the event as a proud gold sponsor. During the boot camp, students had the opportunity to form teams for the qualifying round, with each team member’s specific cyber skills identified through fun group activities.

While no official competition took place during this phase, students were able to access the Cyber Range and practice a range of challenges to prepare for the next stage.

The event was driven by Apsara Karandawala, Educational Team Leader in the Faculty of Creative Art and Digital Design, whose leadership and commitment were instrumental in making the Boot Camp an engaging and successful experience for students.

While this leg of the competition is over, the journey continues for the top teams, with Boot Camp winners forming a team and preparing for the four-hour online Qualifying Round challenge on 17 May.

The best of the best from the Qualifying Round will then compete at the Grand Final in Melbourne on 5 July – a high-intensity, six-hour competition to crown the national champions.