Victoria University Polytechnic
in partnership with Cisco will ensure that the West of Melbourne shares in the economic and employment opportunities being created by emerging digital technologies.
A newly developed suite of cybersecurity training products will be delivered via VU Polytechnic's multi-award-winning Blended Model at the Polytechnic's proposed Cyber Security Operations Centre (Cyber SOC), located at the St Albans campus.
As part of VU Polytechnic and Cisco's mission to support the West of Melbourne in its transition from a traditional manufacturing-based economy, these programs will build the West's talent pipeline in the rapidly growing digital trades industry.
"We are enormously proud to work with Cisco and create exciting new career pathways for the west of Melbourne by anticipating crucial, 21st Century careers that will shape the employment future of the entire country."
- Mr Grant Dreher, Vice-President, Vocational Education, Victoria University Polytechnic.
A recent report from AustCyber and research firm Cybersecurity Ventures reveals that Australian employers will need at least 11,000 more cybersecurity works over the next decade, while demand in 2019 is expected to reach six million.
Not only will the Cyber SOC offer options for long-term unemployed, disengaged youth, career changers and the general public, it will also feature a wide-range of training and professional development programs related to cyber security, to ensure students get the skills, knowledge and credentials they need to meet emerging industry need for cyber-savvy employees.
Planned outreach to residents in public housing areas in the West of Melbourne via a proposed pop-up model will allow the physical delivery of high-quality training on site, enabling residents to take advantage of a range of digital trades that will provide access to sustainable job opportunities.
"Cisco recently launched the Australian Digital Readiness Index, which highlights the importance of continued human capital development, to build and maintain a skilled labour force that supports digital innovation. We recognise that digital trades are critical to Australia's economy, as well as the economy of the Western suburbs of Melbourne.
Cisco is accelerating investment in vocational education with a focus on digital skills and cybersecurity, to enable these to be embedded in all vocationally-oriented training, and to ensure the creation of a workforce that are suitably equipped to gain the greatest benefit from digitisation." - Mr Reg Johnson, General Manager for Cisco Australia & New Zealand.
Embedding these training programs in the West will support higher levels of workforce participation and reduced unemployment in the region. Underpinning the offer at the Cyber SOC will be the Certificate IV in Cybersecurity, included in the State Government's Free TAFE for priority courses initiative, allowing eligible participants to undertake this course without paying tuition fees in 2019.
There has never been a better time to start a new career in this thriving sector.
