OJT Training A Vital Component of Attracting Talent to Cyber Security Roles

Thankfully, Australia’s cyber security landscape has been growing at a stable rate over the past few years, with more tertiary students expressing interest in cyber courses. And part of the appeal of entering this industry isn’t just the improved job security – it’s also the opportunity to learn as they work via company paid training and OJT (on the job training).

Let’s unpack how OJT training is shaping the next generation of cyber security specialists in Australia.

The Flexibility of Training for Remote & Hybrid Teams

With more cyber security and ICT teams moving to remote and hybrid work models, employers are investing more in online training courses. The opportunity to secure a cyber security degree online as they work part-time or full-time within a flexible remote or hybrid structure, is naturally attractive to undergraduate students looking to enter the workforce.

However, opportunities to upskill while on the job don’t just appeal to workers filling graduate roles. Even established professionals can benefit greatly from gaining greater access to on-the-job upskilling opportunities. Similarly, for remote and hybrid workers, having their organisation invest in their own training, can help foster loyalty and maintain job satisfaction rates, leading to reduced staff turnover for employers and improved stability for business clients.

Upskilling and Reskilling for Professionals at all Levels

On top of online training and tertiary course providers accommodating remote and hybrid professionals, cyber security education offerings are also growing more versatile themselves, with qualifications available for students and professionals at all levels. You can now enrol in Certs III or IV for Cyber Security, advanced diplomas, bachelors courses, or even Masters level courses to open up doorways towards managerial and business leadership roles.

This expansion of cyber security education offerings makes the sector even more accessible for professionals looking to either gain entry level positions, or even navigate career moves from other industries and sectors. For established ICT professionals, for instance, it doesn’t make sense to start at the bottom with a Cert III or IV in Cyber Security. Instead, professionals with ICT sector experience can upskill by undertaking a Masters in Cyber Security or at the very least, integrating Cyber Security course components into a more general Masters of Technology Management or other similar postgraduate course.

For industry professionals with existing cyber security qualifications, there are also ample opportunities for reskilling alongside upskilling. Short courses are available online for cyber specialists looking to refresh their knowledge on areas like corporate security measures, or to simply stay informed on evolving threats like AI malware and ransomware. Again, employers are encouraged to consider education and training requests from employees looking to invest in reskilling within the sector.

Defining Cyber Security as a Field for Lifelong Learners

So on top of job security and sustainable OTJ training opportunities, what else is attracting graduates to cyber security? Well in much the same way that medical students are preparing for a career of continuous learning and study, and digital marketing students are also required to keep their finger on the pulse, so too must cyber security graduates be ready to routinely update their knowledge bases founded in academia.

Cyber security is, in a nutshell, a field that attracts passionate lifelong learners. And one thing that all lifelong learners are sure to appreciate, is support from their employers and teachers to continue learning. This means not only giving cyber professionals access to on-the-job training opportunities and giving them the chance to pitch training courses and programs for company backing, but also to give these professionals access to community-based learning opportunities.

Being able to learn with and from peers can help foster a stronger culture of continuous learning within ICT teams, alongside encouraging professionals to share knowledge with one another, ensuring that your team can make the absolute most of its own diversity of experience, stories, and perspectives.

Additional Qualifications to Complement Cyber Security Degrees

It’s important for Australian employers to keep in mind that cyber security training expands so much further than just staying on top of updates to phishing tactics or other attacks. The ICT sector is in a constant state of flux, and the rapid integration of AI and LLMs has only made industry updates even more volatile.

As a result, cyber specialists of today and tomorrow can benefit from upskilling in related fields as well as making sure their security knowledge stays up-to-date. This is why we’re seeing more ICT sector professionals enrolling in contemporary courses like AI degrees and even coding programs. In this current industry climate as we transition into the age of artificial intelligence, any learning opportunities that can strengthen company cyber security policies is bound to provide a good return on investment for employers. Namely because the financial costs surrounding a security breach will simply never be lower than the costs of providing employee training initiatives.

Invest in Cyber Security Training for your ICT Teams

To summarise, OTJ training is vital for cyber security professionals for the following reasons:

• Supports Australian organisations in keeping digital security measures current and up-to-date
• Reduces risks of human error due to employee knowledge gaps as the industry landscape evolves
• Reduces risks of costly security breaches, curbing cyber security insurance and supporting companies in maintaining regulatory compliance requirements
• Fosters a culture of continuous improvement for cyber and ICT departments that also further supports new employee onboarding and making space for graduate positions

With both cloud computing and cyber security having topped the list of the world’s most in-demand skills for this decade as predicted by the Building Digital Skills for the Changing Workforce report from AWS and AlphaBeta, there has never been a better time for Australian employers to evaluate their OTJ training frameworks and programs and how these programs are accommodating upskilling in departments like cyber security where continuous training is vital.

On top of supporting existing cyber specialists in their continuous learning journeys, employers are also encouraged to invest in the right talent for their cyber roles, greenlighting candidates that have expressed a keen interest in evolving ICT disciplines, and is most likely to take full advantage of upskilling and reskilling opportunities across their careers.