The Turnbull Government will boost Australia’s cyber security defences through up-skilling our domestic workforce and address the critical shortage of skilled cyber security professionals.

Minister for Education and Training Simon Birmingham and Minister Assisting the Prime Minister for Cyber Security Dan Tehan said two of Australia’s leading universities, University of Melbourne and Edith Cowan University, had been chosen to lead the concerted effort to boost Australia’s cyber security capability through the country’s first Academic Centres of Cyber Security Excellence (ACCSE).

The University of Melbourne and Edith Cowan University will share $1.91 million over four years to help build the required expertise and job-ready skills needed by the industry and government.

Minister Birmingham said the Academic Centres of Cyber Security Excellence fill the immediate skills gap and would assist to meet the demand of future job growth.

“These centres will help meet the unique challenges we face in the digital age by preparing a new generation of graduates to increase our cyber security workforce,” Minister Birmingham said.

“The centres will encourage more students to take up undergraduate and postgraduate studies and research in cyber security and broaden the range of professionals capable of supporting a cyber-secure nation in to the future. Our ambition is to attract more of Australia's best and brightest into this critically important area, regardless of their background.

“Graduates from the successful centres of excellence will be equipped with the best knowledge to meet the needs of the cyber industry, business and government.

“What’s more, the centres will encourage the commercialisation of their cyber security research and benefit Australia’s small and medium sized industries.”

Minister Tehan said the Centres would play an important role in helping develop a generation of cyber security professionals to meet the growing demand.

“A key element of our Government’s $230 million Cyber Security Strategy is ensuring we have highly-skilled and capable people working in the industry to keep us safe,” Mr Tehan said.

“A career in cyber security offers incredible opportunities, with the Australian cyber security industry predicted to triple in size over the next ten years.

“The Academic Centres of Cyber Security Excellence will better prepare Australians for careers in cyber security and help Australian industries by providing training and research to bolster our capability and keep the digital economy strong.

“Encouraging a generation of Australian cyber security professionals is good for our cyber security, good for the economy and good for the young Australians who pursue careers in this area.”

Investment in the ACCSEs complements the Federal Government’s 2016 Defence White Paper which outlined an additional $400 million is required over the next decade to boost Australia’s cyber and intelligence capabilities and create around 800 specialist jobs.

For more information about the Academic Centres of Cyber Security Excellence visit: http://www.education.gov.au/accse