As the number of cyber threats continues to rise globally, Australia must look to the next generation to keep the security talent pipeline flowing.
Speaking to educators about cyber security skills at the EduTech 2022 conference, NAB’s Security Advisory & Awareness Manger, Laura Hartley talked about how cyber security is a threat that’s not going away and is requiring greater capabilities as cybercrime becomes more advanced.
“I’ve been working in cyber security for 10 years now and as the threats continue to change, they’re becoming more sophisticated,” Ms Hartley said.
“The days of being able to easily identify a dodgy email by obvious typos are all but gone as criminal gangs and organised crime groups get better at producing more legitimate looking scams.”
Ms Hartley said that as the cybercriminals evolve, organisations like NAB are growing and expanding their talent pools.
“The demand is high for cyber security professionals, and it’s important that we develop diverse teams with a range of skills, experience and backgrounds to best defend Australia.”
“We have hundreds of people working in security at NAB, all coming from a diverse range of backgrounds such as ex-police, cyber experts, IT experts and criminologists.”
According to AustCyber, there’s a severe shortage of job-ready cyber security workers, with around 17,000 more cyber security workers needed by 2026.
Developing cyber security capabilities at a young age and fostering an ambition to work in the industry is something NAB is actively supporting.
NAB’s partnership with the Grok Academy is one way of reaching students in primary and secondary schools to give them experience in cyber activities. In March this year, more than 12,000 students took part in the Grok Academy Cyber Live event. Over 200,000 Australian students have enrolled in the Grok Cyber Schools Challenges since 2019, which NAB helped to create.
Ms Hartley, who has a background in criminology, explained that diversity is particularly important in cyber security.
“If everyone comes from the same background and thinks similarly, it won’t necessarily help us protect the bank.”
To harness the benefits of diversity and attracting a range of people to work in cyber security, NAB has its Neurodiverse program, Return to work, internships with universities and TAFEs, and is a sponsor of the Australian Women in Security Network.
As far as careers go, Ms Hartley couldn’t speak highly enough of cyber security:
“Working in cyber security is extremely rewarding. The opportunities are endless, and we get to work on helping keep our customers and colleagues safe.”
Interested in a career in cyber security at NAB?
View the current job vacancies at NAB.
For more information, head to NAB Technology Careers Page.
Further information
For advice on how to keep safe online, head to nab.com.au/security
