Students from VET, TAFE, and higher education programs will soon have the chance to learn and test their cyber security skills in a nationwide competition aimed at boosting Australia’s cyber workforce.
Cyber Battle Australia 2026 will kick off later this month with a series of bootcamps held across Australia, where students will be able to cut their teeth learning practical cyber security skills taught by industry partners and mentors.
More than 300 students are expected to take part in the initial phase, before moving on to a four-hour qualifying round in May. This stage of the competition will be an in-person Capture the Flag event, with the top 25 teams advancing onward.
The Grand Final event will take place in July, with a six-hour CTF competition held in Melbourne.
Throughout the event, students will learn about Linux basics, network traffic analysis, cryptography, web vulnerabilities, and incident response. The competition will also teach students the value of teamwork, leadership, and clear communication.
In addition, students will connect with industry professionals who can share real-world skills vital to their future careers in cyber security.
“Cyber security capability is now critical to Australia’s national resilience, but the workforce required to support that capability is still growing,” Guy Roberts, CEO of the Australian Cyber Collaboration Centre, said in a statement.
“Cyber Battle Australia provides students with an opportunity to develop real-world cyber skills, work as part of a team to solve complex problems and build connections within the cyber security industry.”
You can learn more about Cyber Battle Australia 2026 here.
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David Hollingworth
David Hollingworth has been writing about technology for over 20 years, and has worked for a range of print and online titles in his career. He is enjoying getting to grips with cyber security, especially when it lets him talk about Lego.