VITAL TO BE JOB-READY IN LIFE
INDUSTRY certification is being incorporated into university qualifications in a bid to ensure students are immediately job-ready upon graduation.
Deakin University Centre for Cyber Security Solutions director Damien Manuel says the university’s new Bachelor of Cyber Security will include four industry-recognised certifications from global cyber security leader ECCouncil and IT governance association ISACA.
Manuel believes it is the first time certifications have been included within a university qualification but expects other disciplines and study providers will adopt similar practices.
Traditionally, students can only seek certification from an industry body after they hold the appropriate qualification.
For example, would-be accountants must hold an accounting degree before being eligible to complete the Chartered Accountants or Certified Practising Accountants programs to be recognised in their profession.
Manuel says without industry certification, employers are reluctant to employ graduates.
Incorporating certification into the cyber security program ensures Deakin graduates are the “cream of the crop’’, he says.
“When someone comes out of university, they might have the piece of paper but they don’t have a record of what their aptitude or capabilities are,’’ Manuel says.
“Offering certification means graduates have the skills employers are looking for (and) that the course wasn’t designed by academics thinking, ‘Is this relevant?’ but it was actually something done with industry.’’
Duncan Brown, strategy and innovation director at IT firm Dimension Data, says incorporating industry certifications within a degree qualification will help students kickstart a longlasting career in cyber security.
“This initiative will help launch Australia’s future cyber security experts into the workforce, ready to go at a time when cyber security expertise has never been needed more,’’ Brown says.
“It’s been well documented there’s a global shortage of cyber security professionals.
“At the same time, employers often report candidates for cyber security roles are not work-ready.’’
Australian Industry Group chief executive Innes Willox says developing closer relationships between universities and industry, such as incorporating industry certification in a degree, is a vital step to ensuring graduates hold the relevant skills.
Olivia Sherwood, 21, has enrolled in the new Bachelor of Cyber Security course and
says gaining industry certification as part of her qualification will make her immediately ready to work in cyber security after graduation.
“Just to get industry certification is about $5000 so to have four (certifications) in the course already is huge,’’ she says.