ACSM
build up their skills and experience, sometimes the timing hasn’t been supported just by virtue of how quickly we have got to respond to things.” “I think the more that people are aware of all of the different elements of cyber, the more that there’s awareness and understanding of what that entails, what that means actually means also from a job perspective. I mean I’m a finance person, I’ve come into this industry from banking and logistics and a whole bunch of things, so I’m very new in theory to this space when I look at my peers who have worked in this space for actually 25 years in some instances. I’m an example of where there’s a really great opportunity for people to come into this industry and spend time learning but actually applying a different sort of set of skills that are equally as important from that sustainability point.” “So for me personally, I mean I love it. It’s so interesting. How can you not be completely fascinated with the environment that were in, and the fact that then my personal contribution on a daily basis to Penten there for our customers, that’s massively rewarding I mean genuinely is the most rewarding job I’ve ever had I don’t think of it as a job, it’s just a brilliant opportunity, very lucky.”
CASE STUDY OF SUCCESS | AUSTCYBER AND PENTEN PARTNERSHIP Penten has a solid partnership with AustCyber, the Australian Cyber Security Growth Network. One of which is to provide secure network access to a pilot group of regional SMEs and academia. The partnership provides Australian SMEs with means to bid for, win and work on Government defence classified projects in a secure and protected environment from any location. Matthew Wilson, CEO, Penten believes the benefits to Australia are twofold. “SMEs are the future growth and innovation engine of the Australian cyber economy. These businesses provide invaluable opportunities for defence to gain advantage. Without them, we are missing out. Australia is missing out.” Michelle Price, CEO, AustCyber said, “This project brings together Australian SMEs to better support and protect themselves, defence and national security information; as well as Australia’s emerging place in the global defence and cyber market. AustCyber sees this project as a true game changer for the Australian economy and it shows a better way for economies globally.” And it is this game changer partnership that cyber security in Australia needs to adopt fast. “We have partnered with AustCyber for many years now, we are absolutely excited and incredibly supportive of everything that AustCyber is doing. And not only because of the organisation itself, but because of the ecosystem it’s just incredibly important, and the more in which we can play a part in that understanding broadly around the industry – bringing thought leadership to that space where we can – that’s a better thing for Australian and in fact arguably, the world. We have a genuine drive to do more, I know AustCyber definitely does and of course the industry does. So hence why we love being part of
“We have partnered with AustCyber for many years now, we are absolutely excited and incredibly supportive of everything that AustCyber is doing. And not only because of the organisation itself, but because of the ecosystem it’s just incredibly important, something like Cyber Week.”
BUILD THE PATHWAYS AND THEY WILL COME The need for a diversity of skillsets in the cyber security space is evident for the industry to continue to stay on its solid growth path in Australia. But for that to be sustainable, clear and well-established pathways need to be put in place almost immediately. “We need to show people pathways. We need to show really practical pathways coming in formal learning pathways as well and making sure that they’re really agile as what we need them to be. And then actually a broadening of awareness of the of the industry. I do, as I said, I think it’s a really sexy industry it is so exciting, I mean there is new pieces of information every day to help us learn more around the industry. It’s certainly not static by any stretch of the imagination, which for me means it’s extremely exciting.”
HOW DO WE SHAKE OFF THE 6th MOST HACKED COUNTRY IN THE WORLD TITLE? Improving cybersecurity capabilities through upskilling and a layered education setup will indeed help Australia to better calculate cyber risk as well as respond quickly to threats. However, as with the nature of the industry, it demands considerable time and resources, and can it be done? Will Australia be able to climb back from its startling global ranking and shake off its sixth most hacked country in the world title? “Absolutely shake that off. I think we will continue to come under a whole range of threats from people that want to do us harm, us being Australia. I do think that we absolutely have the skills and experience and the desire together – this isn’t just a Penten thing this is the industry, with government, with individuals, with companies – we absolutely have a desire together to make sure that we are protecting our digital borders, our digital borders are going to be the most important thing in years to come, as opposed to our physical borders. We need to think about that in the way it requires and it requires us all together to band together to make sure that we can continue to protect the nation.” MySecurity Media is an official partner with AustCyber’s Australian Cyber Week 2021 Virtual Conference between 25-29 October.
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