L-R: Matt Wilcox (FifthDomain), Andrew Barr (ACT Chief Minister)
A federal government-backed cyber security upskilling program has launched by FifthDomain with the aim of skilling up at least 100 people by 2024.
Named the Cyber National Assessment Program for Skills and Employment (CYNAPSE), the program is led by the cyber security workforce outfit and will set out to provide opportunities for people to transition into relevant careers.
It also aims to train people to operate in security operations centres and provide employers and recruiters with insights to improve workforce participation.
The government funding comes by way of the Department of Industry and Science via a $3 million grant to FifthDomain through the Cyber Security Skills Partnership Innovation Fund, which was expanded in the 2021-22 Budget.
“We want to help employers,” said Matt Wilcox, CEO and founder of FifthDomain. “We’ve seen first-hand how hard it is to hire cyber staff. We also want to help students and those interested in a career in cyber understand what the job is really like by providing realistic scenarios.
He also said that a more diverse workforce would be generated through the program, as it utilises “objective, standardise skills assessments” without associating biographic data, like names, genders and location.
“There is a whole pool of people with untapped potential we could be hiring in cyber and they currently experience barriers,” Wilcox said. “For example, we know that some neurodiverse individuals have incredible abilities in this industry, but the thought of the interview process is daunting for them. CYNAPSE lessens that issue, providing the employer with their data sets of ability first.
“Unconscious bias is unfortunately a factor to consider in cyber. Women only make up around 17 per cent of the industry and we want to dramatically increase that. We want to remove biased recruiting and provide faster and better placements while de-risking hires.”
Wilcox's claim that women make up around 17 per cent of the IT industry follow data released earlier this week by RMIT’s Centre for Cyber Security Research and Innovation in its Gender Dimensions of the Australian Cyber Security Sector report, which found that, according to 2021 Census data, women only represented 17 per cent of the cyber security workforce.
Other companies and organisations involved as partners in the program, according to FifthDomain, include AUcloud, ParaFlare, Cydarm, Emanate Technology, Penten, Hudson, the Cyber Security Cooperative Research Centre, AustCyber, Fortem Australia, Lanson Partners, Willyama Services and Elliott Gray.
ACT Chief Minister Andrew Barr attended the launch and said he was proud that the program was created in Canberra.
“Cyber security is one of the ACT’s, and Australia’s, fastest growing sectors and we know that ensuring it has the workforce it needs will be a key challenge in the years to come,” he added.
“It’s both encouraging, and no surprise, that innovative and inclusive solutions like CYNAPSE have been developed here in Canberra. Initiatives such as these will be essential to build the capable, skilled, and diverse workforce the sector needs to continue its strong growth.”
While CYNAPSE has launched, FifthDomain is looking for cyber security industry professionals, recruiters, IT and cyber education providers and minority advocacy groups to be part of the program to assist in product design and testing areas.
This is the latest training initiative launch to involve funding from the Cyber Security Skills Partnership Innovation Fund, with Kirra Services launching the Indigenous ICT Cyber Regional Employment Pathway Program in February.
