“There’s a growing need in the market for cybersecurity knowledge”

Cyber Security Risk and Strategy, offered by RMIT Online, aims to upskill professionals to understand cybersecurity and develop appropriate preventative strategies within the business environment.

“Technology moves quickly, and one challenge we’re seeing is how organisations, educational institutions and government can keep up with the breakneck speed of innovation and the new associated risks,” said Helen Souness, chief executive of RMIT Online.

“Data is becoming an invaluable asset in our digitised, connected world. There’s a growing need in the market for cybersecurity knowledge, with organisations looking to align cybersecurity and governance with business goals.”

Developed in partnership with National Australia Bank and US-based Palo Alto Networks, the course also seeks to address risks identified in the Australia’s Cyber Security Sector Competitiveness Plan report, which found substantial future skills shortages costing the country $400 million in lost revenue and wages.

While based on Australian research, Souness told The PIE News the course was also applicable to professionals from around the world and not specific to a particular geographic location.

According to PAN’s Asia-Pacific and Japan vice president Sean Duca, cybersecurity was becoming a pertinent issue for businesses, and there was a need for increased online literacy among professionals, regardless of their area of expertise.

“The most important thing organisations can do to protect themselves is to ensure every staff member is educated about cybersecurity risks, the threat landscape and their own role in protecting the organisation,” he said.

“We all share a responsibility for identifying and managing our cybersecurity risks.”

The new course is the latest in RMIT Online’s Future Skills portfolio, which also includes 2018’s Developing Blockchain Strategy. A busy year for the provider, March 2019 saw its courses included in the Singaporean government-backed SkillsFuture platform.

Cyber Security Risk and Strategy will commence in early June and run for six weeks.