Key outcome
- Establishment of nationally recognised TAFEcyber brand for vocational education.
- Industry review of Advanced Diploma in cyber security materials for currency and relevance.
- Pilot for online learning platform.
- First Cyber Security Lecturer Conference.
Economic impact
- Demonstration of TSOC interconnectivity across the nation, creating opportunities for further collaboration.
Government funding
$200,000
Industry funding
$200,000
The AustCyber Projects Fund is a $15 million, three-year initiative designed to help the Australian cyber security industry grow and take ideas globally. Since launching in 2018, AustCyber has provided this funding to projects that are making a real contribution to growing Australia’s cyber security ecosystem, guided by the Sector Competitiveness Plan.
One of the participants in AustCyber’s Projects Fund was South Metropolitan TAFE, which used its involvement in the Projects Fund program for the establishment of a nationally recognised TAFEcyber brand for vocational education, an industry review of Advanced Diploma in Cyber Security materials for currency, and a relevance pilot for the online learning platform First Cyber Security Lecturer Conference.
Australian TAFEs have historically worked independently, and the rapid rise of demand for cyber security training has seen each TAFE develop its own strategies. Sometimes this is caused by the perceived differences in training, but more often it is competition that has prevented collaboration.
Previously TAFEs across Australia have led their own projects to deliver cyber security training, with some collaboration between institutions occurring. However, there were challenges in ensuring all TAFEs across Australia were able to deliver consistent student experiences and keep ahead of the rapidly changing industry if TAFEs were going to collectively achieve their part in creating Australia’s sovereign capability.
The Australian TAFE system is a critical part of the emerging ‘ecology’ of the cyber security sector, and in 2018, a joint meeting of TAFEs helped develop the idea of collaborating to harness the collective intellectual property and resources to fast‐track their cyber security training capability.
The consortium collaborated with the Australian cyber security industry to review the currency of
the Advanced Diploma course materials, support delivery of a national Industry Talks series enabling professional development opportunities for lecturers, deliver a large‐scale cyber security challenge and connect TAFE Training Cyber Security Operations Centres (TSOCs) across the nation. All of these outcomes contribute to improving Australia’s cyber security vocational education programs and showcase the capability of TAFEs across Australia as a valuable and integral part of the cyber security industry.
About TAFEcyber
TAFEcyber is an Australian‐based consortium focusing on the skilling of the fast‐growing cyber security workforce through education and training. As a successful initiative awarded funding through the AustCyber Projects Fund, TAFEcyber aims to support the development of Australia’s cyber security training capabilities.
The TAFEcyber priorities are supported by key government and industry partners including AustCyber and Ionize. The consortium members offer a range of cyber security qualifications and exciting opportunities supported by industry and include the following Registered Training Organisations: Box Hill Institute, Canberra Institute of Technology, Chisholm Institute, Melbourne Polytechnic, North Metropolitan TAFE, South Metropolitan TAFE, TAFE Queensland, TAFE NSW, TAFE SA and Victoria University Polytechnic.
Learn more about TAFEcyber at their website.
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Find out more about the other projects involved with the AustCyber Projects Fund.
