Closing skills gaps: new cybersecurity and blockchain courses

The Graduate Certificate in Cyber Security and Graduate Certificate in Blockchain-Enabled Business will be delivered in partnership with industry leaders IBM, Palo Alto Networks and Stone & Chalk.

Already two of the largest emerging sub-sectors in the technology industry, cybersecurity and blockchain have become even more important as world events have forced a rapid migration into home office environments and businesses face accelerated transformation timelines.

RMIT Online CEO Helen Souness said the latest additions to the Future Skills portfolio would equip Australian businesses for the fast-moving and uncertain future of work.

“Over the past few months, we have observed a significant shift in traditional ways of working and conducting business,” she said.

“The unpredictable nature of our current environment requires us to strengthen and accelerate our understanding of the digital landscape.

“Cybersecurity and blockchain technologies are emerging as business-critical skills and we are delivering the training that provides those skills in our workforce.”

The Facts

According to an Accenture Cost of Cybercrime study, the total cumulative value at risk from cybercrime between 2019 and 2023 is forecast to be US$5.2 trillion, with each Australian organisation expected to lose an average of US$6.79 million annually.

With a worldwide skills gap of 2.93 million jobs, including 2.14 million in Asia Pacific, AustCyber said the Australian cyber security industry had the potential to almost triple in size to A$6 billion by 2026.

This equates to a need for 18,000 additional cyber security professionals in the next six years.

A pre-pandemic global blockchain survey conducted by PWC said we should expect more than 80% in annual blockchain growth rates until 2025.

The research also indicated that 84% of tech-aware executives expected to apply blockchain technology to their business, but only one in 20 managers could easily source the skills they needed to do so.

Future Skills

Existing trends in cybercrime and the need for businesses to adopt emerging technologies to drive transformation have been fast-tracked by the COVID-19 pandemic, making it vital to fill skills shortages with industry-partnered digital education delivery.

The Graduate Certificate of Blockchain-Enabled Business program will explore the fundamentals of blockchain and its impact on the economy and societal institutions within the context of the Australian business sector.

Students will be armed with skills and knowledge to become a thought leader in the sector, enabling them to drive blockchain technology adoption and thinking within organisations.

The Graduate Certificate of Cyber Security will deliver students with a comprehensive understanding of cyber security spanning strategy, international orientation, critical analysis and problem solving, communication, ethics and leadership.

It will enable graduates to develop and implement sophisticated cyber security strategies for organisations across a range of sectors.

Both postgraduate programs will run for nine months, commencing in October 2020.

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