CyberSecurity@Deakin helps to bridge the cyber security skills gap

Students from Deakin’s School of Information Technology are gaining real-life exposure and experience in cyber security, as they undertake eight-week internships in Deakin’s Information, Security & Risk Division.

Since April, four students have been working alongside eSolutions cyber security experts, developing in-demand cyber security technical knowledge in their respective fields.

A new initiative, the internship program is designed to provide students from both the Bachelor of Information Technology and Master of Information Technology programs with an edge in the job market, through a combination of hands-on experience and high-level theoretical training.

Deakin’s Director of Information, Security & Risk, Sanjay Verma, said Deakin is playing a key role in helping to address a skills shortage in the industry.

The Federal Government has predicted that demand for cyber security experts will grow by more than 20 per cent over the next five years.

"The practical experience these students have will give employers absolute confidence that Deakin graduates will not only have the required expertise - they will also have the required operational experience," Mr Verma said.

Master of Information Technology student, Mahmoud Hakim, said the internship had given him a first-hand understanding of how IT security functioned at a practical level.

"I’ve been involved in day-to-day security management activities, such as analysing and assessing potential security risks and developing plans to deal with such incidents," he said.

"I’m also learning how to analyse the technical and non-technical processes involved in projects, to ensure that all projects conform to security requirements," he added.

More Deakin University students will have the opportunity to take part in the program later this year.

Email us for more information about the program.

Find out more about studying IT at Deakin and the Work Integrated Learning Program in Deakin’s Faculty of Science, Engineering and Built Environment.