Digital skills push urged to counter AUD $63bn cyber threat

The Australian Computer Society has made a submission to the Government's Horizon 2 consultation, highlighting the need for significant digital skills development to protect Australia's digital economy under the 2023–2030 Cyber Security Strategy.

This call for action comes at a time when the annual cost of cyberattacks to the Australian economy has been estimated at AUD $63 billion, underscoring the stakes of failing to address the country's cyber resilience.

Australia is home to an estimated 137,500 cyber security professionals, but projections indicate an additional 54,000 specialists will be required by 2030 to mitigate cyber threats effectively.

Call for broader incentives

"Every blocked cyber attack helps protect data and save money," said ACS CEO Josh Griggs. "So even a modest improvement in workforce capability can have a massive impact.

Griggs highlighted the importance of updating the current skills framework, stating, "By upgrading our skills system, more Australians will access the skills they need to thrive in a digital economy. This means building a system that better recognises prior learning and adapts to alternate pathways into tech.

"But we also need to see more incentives for earn-while-you-learn programs. These programs mean workers don't have to choose between upskilling and paying their mortgage. And they ensure employers can confidently invest in skills to make their staff more productive and cyber-aware."

Strategic pillars

ACS's submission emphasised four areas to strengthen Australia's cyber security workforce as part of the Horizon 2 phase of the Cyber Security Strategy. The first involves increased incentives for earn-while-you-learn programmes and the creation of clearer entry-level pathways. This would include updating ICT Training Packages and supporting stackable micro-credentials and vendor certifications.

The second area is shifting hiring practices towards skills-first approaches. ACS is advocating for alignment with the Skills Framework for the Information Age (SFIA) to better match real-world skills to job requirements and to facilitate recognition of prior learning, particularly for career changers.

The third recommendation is to expand national mentoring networks for cyber professionals. ACS calls for a structured approach that builds on existing mentoring programmes across the country to offer guided development for those entering the workforce.

The fourth area is to use procurement policies to boost local capability. ACS recommends that major public ICT contracts prioritise local delivery and workforce development, directing more public investment towards growing sovereign capability and retaining economic value on-shore.

Economic implications

Research from ACS's Digital Pulse 2025 report highlights that addressing digital skills gaps could generate as much as a AUD $25 billion productivity uplift for the economy by 2035. Existing data shows that over one million Australians are employed in the technology workforce, with digital technologies adding AUD $134 billion to the nation's economy.

The report reflects the nation's growing reliance on digital solutions and the critical need to ensure the appropriate skills are present in the workforce to maximise the benefits and minimise risk.

Workforce development needs

ACS's submission comes amid increasing demand for robust, practical approaches to cybersecurity education and workforce expansion. The proposals focus not only on quantity but also on the quality of skills development, with an emphasis on diverse pathways and ongoing guidance.

Josh Griggs's comments reiterated the organisation's stance that improving capability across the workforce is not simply a matter of national security but an economic imperative, with even incremental improvements capable of delivering broad benefits.

The recommendations in ACS's submission will now form part of the broader discussion on Australia's Horizon 2 cyber security settings as the government seeks to balance ongoing technological innovation with the realities of a changing security landscape.