The Australian government is launching a three-day course in collaboration with TAFEcyber, aimed at training individuals to assess the implementation of Essential Eight security controls within their organizations. The face-to-face course, organized by the Australian Cyber Security Centre (ACSC), will provide participants with the skills to conduct accurate and consistent assessments of Essential Eight maturity.
The course is primarily targeted at personnel working in government departments, critical infrastructure, and various industries. Currently, maturity assessments in the government sector often vary between self-assessments and independent assessments, leading to discrepancies in evaluated maturity levels, even at federal and state government levels.
By delivering the TAFEcyber course nationwide starting next month, the government hopes to establish more standardized self-assessments regarding the implementation of Essential Eight controls. The course has undergone a pilot phase at the Canberra Institute of Technology (CIT) Reid, although the number of participants in the pilot phase was not disclosed.
Minister for Skills and Training Brendan O’Connor and Minister for Cyber Security Clare O’Neil expressed their desire to foster Essential Eight skills across a wide range of organizations. The course not only focuses on assessing the current state of maturity but also prepares individuals to develop action plans for addressing any identified weaknesses.
At a larger scale, this upskilling program can contribute to the government’s commitment to making Australia the most cyber-secure nation by 2030. Minister O’Connor stated that the course equips cyber professionals with the necessary expertise and practical training to assess their organization’s cybersecurity posture and proactively mitigate financial losses and breaches of personal information. Minister O’Neil emphasized that the course would enhance key cybersecurity skills within workplaces across the country.
