CyberCX and AustCyber launch platform to boost Aus cybersecurity industry

Australia's largest cybersecurity services company, CyberCX, and cybersecurity growth network, AustCyber, have launched an interactive mapping tool called CyberSeek.

Launched with key partners including Accenture, Burning Glass Technologies and CompTIA, CyberSeek is an interactive mapping tool that tracks the state of the Australian cybersecurity job market in real time and provides data on the talent gap within the sector.

This tool was funded through the AustCyber Projects Fund, which is a $15 million, three-year initiative designed to help the Australian cybersecurity industry grow and take ideas globally.

CyberSeek uses sophisticated data analysis and aggregation tools to analyse hundreds of millions of job postings and real-life career transitions, providing insights into labour market patterns.

The CyberSeek platform was first piloted in the United States by Burning Glass Technologies and CompTIA, where it has impacted how the cybersecurity job market is understood by people at every stage of their career journey, the company states.

The platform features include an interactive heatmap of cybersecurity supply and demand, an interactive career pathway tool which highlights the key transition opportunities between common roles, and a certification and skills guide which calls out the credentials typically required for those roles.

Based on the National Initiative for Cyber Education, a framework that provides common definitions on cyber roles and workers, the data provides valuable intelligence to policymakers about the supply and demand of cybersecurity professionals across the country.

The information is also well suited to cybersecurity professionals and job seekers, employers, educators and students.

Data from the CyberSeek platform shows that in the 12 months to September 2020 there were more than 14,000 job openings for dedicated and related cybersecurity roles in Australia, but a talent pool half the size of the national average for employers to recruit from.

For every job advertised in a cybersecurity related field in Australia, there are only six cybersecurity workers in existence in the labour market.

The mass migration to remote working has only fuelled the need for more cybersecurity talent in Australia, with organisations now facing several additional security risks.

CyberSeek is designed to help transition workers and provide information such as the demand for skills by region, qualification and certification requirements for cyber roles, indicative salaries and transition pathways, and role progression.

AustCyber CEO Michelle Price says, "Maintaining and broadening efforts to attract and train workers in cybersecurity expertise will ensure the future quality of Australia's cyber workforce.

"Australia has some of the best cyber talent in the world, but we need to expand the supply of talent coming through the pipeline if we are to have a vibrant and globally competitive economy."

CyberCX CEO John Paitaridis says, "Cybersecurity workers protect Australia's most important assets, from critical infrastructure to enterprise intellectual property, through to the personally identifiable information millions of Australians use to access their bank accounts.

"The dangerous shortage of cybersecurity workers Australia is facing puts our collective digital privacy and infrastructure at risk. As Australia's largest cybersecurity provider, we want to play a leading role in helping build a robust and sustainable skills pipeline to drive the industry into the future."

Key partners also commented on the launch.

Accenture director of strategy Toby Brennan says, "Demand for cyber skills is already strong and will only increase in the coming years, so it's important Australia captures this critical economic opportunity.

"The importance of technology on our economy has created urgent need for organisations to rapidly adopt secure digital tools. We need to build a skilled workforce that understands the future environment."

CompTIA president and CEO Todd Thibodeaux says, "The global pandemic underscores the critical importance of organisational and workforce resilience.

"Proactively preparing for the next crisis starts with cyber readiness and furthering our commitment to expanding Australia's trained and certified tech workforce."