Survive the Cyber Security Staff Drought

Australian organisations are still struggling to recruit and train sufficient cyber security specialists to keep their valuable data safe.

A report by government-funded industry body AustCyber predicted that Australia would need an extra 4800 cyber security workers each year to avoid a significant shortfall by 2030. It warned that the local industry is lagging those of other countries, urging further private sector investment in the area.

AustCyber found that 74% of cyber security professionals were being impacted by non-availability of suitably qualified staff. Only 8.8% rated Australia’s cyber security sector as “highly competitive”, while 21% rated the local industry as “not competitive” compared to other global markets.

20% Positions Vacant

The Australian Government’s 2023 Skills Priority List shows cyber security roles as among the highest-ranked skills with a national shortage. According to AustCyber, cyber security architects are the most in-demand cyber security role, followed by engineers and analysts.

While there were ~51,300 dedicated cyber security workers in Australia last year, a staggering 12,500 jobs had remained vacant. The workforce needs to grow by 66% to reach the total of 85,000 who would be required by 2030.

Speaking to The Australian Financial Review earlier this year, the RMIT’s Research Director from the Centre of Cyber Security, Matthew Warren, said:

“We cannot run before we walk, and right now the Australian cyber security industry does not have the depth of dedicated, skilled cyber security workers required to strengthen Australia’s security posture against the increasing sophistication, ferocity and prevalence of cyber security threat actors.”

AustCyber chief executive Chris Kirk said that cyber security was now a “non-negotiable, impacting every Australian”.

Early Education + a Wider Funnel

While there’s been a 30% year-on-year growth in the number of people studying cyber security at university, the funnel for future workers needs to be wider for AustCyber’s target to be met.

Said Kirk: “We really need to get cyber into the education system quite early, like primary school. And, at the speed of which the industry moves, your skill set can be severely challenged very quickly. So it’s extremely important we upskill and keep globally relevant the professionals in these jobs.”

Surviving Staff Shortfalls

Organisations struggling to recruit cyber security specialists should consider how automation can augment and relieve the load being carried by their existing cyber security specialists.

For example, advanced Managed File Transfer solutions, such as GoAnywhere MFT, can centrally manage and secure file transfers organisation-wide. Recognised for its class-leading features, GoAnywhere frees up your cyber security specialists, working in the background to comprehensively mitigate the risks of storing and moving your data, both within and outside your organisation.

Through its centralised control, encryption, and auditing capabilities, GoAnywhere replaces risky traditional approaches and improves productivity. Its versatility, security, ease of use, and budget-friendliness have made it a must-have solution for organisations committed to protecting their information assets.

Expert Local Advice On Hand

At Generic Systems Australia, we’re Australia’s and the Asia-Pacific region’s experts on Managed File Transfer solutions.

If you’d like a no-cost, no-obligation discussion about how we could help you augment your cyber security team’s efforts, please feel welcome to get in touch.