ADF Cyber Gap Program partners with industry

The Australian Defence Force Cyber Gap Program (ADFCGP) has partnered with Cybermerc to help grow Australia’s sovereign cyber workforce.

CAPTION: Royal Australian Air Force officer Squadron Leader Kylie Breheny conducts user acceptance testing with the Australian Defence Force Cyber Gap Program’s new partner Cybermerc in Canberra. Story by Bernadette Wright. Photo by Jay Cronan.

Cybermerc will deliver the program’s online cyber skills modules and online cyber skills challenges to provide this year’s cohort with the necessary skills and attributes to enhance their cyber knowledge in the information warfare domain.

Founder and CEO of Cybermerc, Matthew Nevin, said the company was proud to be partnering with the ADFCGP to deliver a complete sovereign capability that will grow and shape the future cyber security workforce.

“The establishment and delivery of the ADF Cyber Gap Program is a significant step forward by the Australian Government to address the current cyber skills shortage in Australia,” Mr Nevin said.

“The online cyber security learning modules and cyber skills challenges have been designed with the participants in mind – providing a real-world, immersive approach to training where students balance theoretical modules with hands-on experience.

“They are provided with opportunities to safely interact and work with real malicious software in scenarios emulating real-world attacks.”

Navy officer Captain Paul Scott, Director of Joint Cyber, said he was excited to see how participants tackled the online challenges ahead.

“We’ve got a really comprehensive training approach for the ADFCGP, and it’s been great working with Cybermerc to deliver this for our participants,” Captain Scott said.

“I’m really looking forward to seeing how the participants tackle the challenges ahead, and encourage them to use their creativity and problem-solving skills as they interact with the program modules.”

More than 1200 applications were submitted for the second ADFCGP intake. The program has now commenced with 285 high-calibre applicants.

The Australian Government announced the ADFCGP in 2019 as part of its cyber-resilience and workforce package. The pilot intake began in 2020, with the final intake concluding the program at the end of 2023.

The 12-month online program is being delivered by the Joint Cyber Directorate and is open to Australian citizens undertaking tertiary cyber-related qualifications from Certificate III through to master’s degree level. There is no obligation for participants to join the ADF on the completion of the program.

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