The CyberCX Academy’s All-Women Cohort is set to commence as the program aims to address the severe talent shortage and gender gap in the cybersecurity sector.
A 2023 report by RMIT University’s Centre for Cyber Security Research and Innovation and the Australian Women in Security Network revealed that women make up just 17 per cent of Australia’s cybersecurity occupations, a statistic CyberCX Academy hopes to overturn.
The CyberCX Academy is the largest private sector commitment to address Australia’s cyber skills shortage, with the program on track to train 500 people over three years.
Australia’s only dedicated cyber security training and placement company Cyber Revolution is a key partner in the academy. Founded in 2019, Cyber Revolution aims to help people land their first job in cybersecurity by providing specialist training and placement services. To date, it has upskilled more than 1000 people with industry-leading certifications.
“Cyber Revolution is proud to partner with CyberCX to not only help close the widening cyber security skills gap, but to also help realise gender equality in the sector,” Cyber Revolution Founder and CEO, Adam Hewitt, said. “It’s no secret gender diversity in the sector is appalling and the pace of improvement is painfully slow. By upskilling the next generation of female trailblazers and supporting them to enter the cyber security workforce we’re helping to close the gender gap.
“We are passionate about facilitating job outcomes for our students and proud that all our students who’ve gone on to secure a cyber security role still works in the industry,” Hewitt added. “From a stay-at-home mum with an eight-year career gap to another woman who spent ten years trying to break into the industry, we have countless examples of women that have moved to advanced-level roles in cyber as a result of doing our courses.”
Cyber Revolution offers online self-paced education resulting in globally recognised industry certification. Students are provided with one-on-one support and access to live practice labs to mimic real-world scenarios. In-house career advisors assist with job readiness and help students to improve their CVs, LinkedIn profiles as well as job interview skills. The business also facilitates career placements with a number of leading organisations.
Hewitt noted that the scarcity of tech talent means businesses that are looking for quality candidates to fill cybersecurity roles must rethink their recruitment strategies and become more proactive to prevent them from overlooking viable job seekers.
Bec Fiedler (pictured) studied under Cyber Revolution and has landed an associate role in the CyberCX Academy All-Women Cohort. Fiedler is starting her role focused on governance, risk and compliance but is excited for the variety of career opportunities and growth potential the industry, and CyberCX specifically, provides.
“I was interested in cyber security because, like many Australians, I have been affected by recent high-profile hacks and wanted to do something about it,” Fiedler said. “I’ve found Cyber Revolution to be informative and supportive. I was assigned a mentor who I check in with weekly. We came up with a study plan that suited my life and allowed me to manage the study load around fulltime work and other commitments which was instrumental to me staying on track. I’m thrilled to have landed a role in the CyberCX All-Women Cohort.”
