A top intelligence organisation has set sights on training the next generation in cyber security to address crippling skills shortages which is predicted to be at a gap of up to 30,000 professionals.
The Australian Signals Directorate partnered with the Australian National University to hold a cyber security workshop through the National Youth Science Forum on Tuesday.
The workshop was hosted by an Australian Signals Directorate employee, who cannot be named for security reasons, and she described these types of workshops for high schoolers as crucial.
"ASD is trying to recruit 1900 people over the next 10 years as part of our REDSPICE program," she said.
"We really want to make sure that there's plenty of new students coming through, studying these things, building that talent pool so that we have the talented staff that we need to be able to complete our mission."
The REDSPICE program, standing for resilience, effects, defence, space, intelligence cyber and enablers, was a $9.9 billion investment over 10 years in the former Coalition government's May 2022 budget.
While the program aimed to tackle the skills shortfall in this area, many experts warned it would be a challenge due to the attraction of private industry which typically pays more money.
The ASD representative said while the industry was competitive, there were benefits the intelligence organisation could offer which would make it more attractive than private companies.
"We offer missions and jobs that aren't available elsewhere, really exciting activities that have a real important impact for Australia," she said.
A September 2022 report by CyberCx predicted over the next four years there would be a shortfall of 30,000 unfilled positions across Australia in cyber security.
The number of jobs in this industry is expected to skyrocket from about 40,000 in 2018 to a projected 125,000 by 2026.
High school participants of Tuesday's "hacking and cracking" workshop, Chris Yoo and Lily Watt, could possibly set their sights to being part of the next generation of cyber security professionals.
"I was interested in the day of the life of someone who works in cyber security and I didn't really know that much about that field so I chose this as a way to broaden my horizons," Lily said.
"I would love to go to university studying physics, particularly like astrophysics or astronomy."
Chris said his first preference would be a degree in cyber security or information technology and was eager to take part in the workshop to have a greater understanding on career areas.
"I want to get to interact with career experts already working in cyber security," he said.
"I want to know about what their day looks like, what I actually might expect when I step into this career and any advice that they might have for aspiring cyber security professionals."
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