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Paige Folta

‘Earn while you learn’ approach to help close cyber skills gap

By Improving training deliveryNo Comments

The cyber threat is becoming more sophisticated every year and the cyber security sector is suffering from a skills deficit.

DSO joined forces with the Canberra Cyber Hub to create the Cyber Security Work Integrated Learning Pilot. Co-designed with industry, its aim is to help close the skills gap between training, education and the workplace – delivering job-ready employees to employers, fast.

The pilot offers Canberra cyber businesses the opportunity to work with capable interns, some holding security clearances and with prior learning in the industry, to expand their business offerings and Canberra’s cyber workforce.

For interns, it provides a combination of on-the-job training and world-class training, enabling them to earn while they learn and get certified to secure their future.

The pilot started in April 2023. Demand from employers and interns exceeded the places available by more than 100%.

“This is proving to be a great opportunity for companies to access funded cyber training so they have staff with the right skills to hit the ground running. This training is skills led and uses micro-credentials, which we think is the way to go”

Karen Schilling
Director, Canberra Cyber Hub

June 29, 2023

Networks of Digital Excellence support RTOs

By Improving training deliveryNo Comments

A key objective is to make it easier for registered training organisations (RTOs) to deliver relevant digital and technology skills training. To do this the DSO partnered with Generation Australia (GA), an education to employment provider.

The goal was to create a formal process for the DSO’s future pilot projects with RTOs. This meant bringing together GA’s experiences with the activities, outputs and lessons learned from the DSO’s completed projects.

Six RTOs trialed the method and process as part of a course to teach people how to be a threat operations analyst or a software developer. It was also used by a large organisation upskilling customer facing staff.

Based on the trials and RTO feedback, GA has supported the evolution and expansion of the process into Networks of Digital Excellence (NoDEs), to support RTOs delivering employer-led skills-based approaches. Plans are now in place to scale NoDEs to support RTOs and surface agile and adaptable forms of training.

“We are part of a global network of Generation affiliates, which have created employment pathways for 70,000 people around the world. We see a lot of different training approaches and are confident that Networks of Digital Excellence can become a class leading capability which bring value to RTOs.”

Malcolm Kinns
CEO, Generation Australia

June 29, 2023