Cybersecurity focus in digital skills training courses

More than 2000 Queenslanders are taking advantage of government-funded no-fee or low-fee training to gain skills to help keep personal and business data secure.

Minister for Training and Skills Development Di Farmer today visited a new $2 million Cyber Security Training Operations Centre at Mooloolaba TAFE on the Sunshine Coast, where the new digital skills training courses are being offered.

Farmer said Sunshine Coast residents were among the 2200 students who had enrolled statewide in digital skills qualifications.

“There is a fantastic variety of activity in the digital sector and this area of training and skills supports a growing section of the wider economy,” Farmer said.

“Increasing numbers of businesses are pursuing e-commerce opportunities and rely more and more on online channels to stay in contact with their customers and attract new business.

“In addition to lowering the cost to access this training, the Queensland Government is making significant investments in digital skills training facilities as part of our $100 million Equipping TAFE for our Future initiative.

“We are developing Cyber Security Training Operations Centres at three TAFE Queensland campuses, with construction recently completed at Mooloolaba, followed by centres at Southbank and Cairns, through a total investment of $6 million.

“Cybersecurity is a growing industry requiring skilled cybersecurity professionals to enter the workforce both statewide and nationally.

“These operation centres will help train students in monitoring hacking and triaging web data, testing cyber attack and defence scenarios, and establish new data centres and IT infrastructure.

“The potential in this sector is strong, with new technologies and opportunities always coming up, and I hope to see more people taking on this training to build rewarding careers,” Farmer said.

After seven years working as a civil engineering draftsman Jarrad Rogers had planned to travel, but when COVID-19 forced him to reassess his plans he rebooted his passion to work in IT.

Rogers first completed a Certificate III in Information, Digital Media and Technology and then undertook a Certificate IV in Cyber Security. He has since started working with IDCARE, a charitable organisation that supports victims of scams and cybercrimes by assisting them with recovery and mitigation of risk.

“My interest in cybersecurity comes from my parents and a desire to protect them,” he said. “They are living in a digital age but have no background or understanding of how dangerous it can be, which makes them vulnerable to online threats.

“There are a lot of vulnerable people out there like that, and also people who will try to take advantage of them.

“I know the potential these crimes have to damage people. As well as any financial loss they might suffer, they are often left searching for answers and feeling shame that they were taken advantage of,” he said.

Farmer said Rogers was among more than 500 people who had signed up for the Certificate IV in Cyber Security and would help businesses and other organisations to design strong systems and protect vital data.

“Supporting staff to work remotely, engaging with customers online, and ensuring data systems and processes manage privacy, security and efficiency goals make it a vital challenge for different businesses,” she said.

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