Macquarie University's Cyber Skills Academy (CSA) has formed a strategic partnership with Essemy, one of Western Australia’s largest organisational development and workplace training providers, to deliver cybersecurity skills and microcredentials to organisations across the state.
The collaboration will make Macquarie’s suite of cybersecurity courses available to Western Australian businesses and government agencies, providing locally delivered training backed by the University’s research expertise.
The World Economic Forum estimated in 2024 there was a global skills shortage of four million cybersecurity experts and predicted the gap would grow with increased demand.
“Cyber risk is now a board-level issue for every organisation, from local councils to ASX-listed miners,” says Peter Eckermann, Chief Operating Officer, Macquarie University Cyber Skills Academy.
“Partnering with Essemy lets us put cutting-edge, practitioner-led training directly in the hands of WA decision-makers without the administrative barriers that can often delay skills development.”
The partnership gives Western Australian organisations access to 15 cybersecurity microcredentials delivered online. The courses include such specialties as cyber awareness, defence, incident response, leadership and AI security.
Macquarie University – Australia’s leading cybersecurity school, and in the top one per cent of universities worldwide – launched the Cyber Skills Academy in January 2024 to address the global digital skills shortage.
World-leading experts in the field, including Macquarie University Professor Dali Kaafar, contributed to the design of the Academy’s research-backed, industry-based training programs for audiences ranging from beginners to experienced professionals and executives, providing whole-of-organisation defence against cybercrime.
The Western Australian initiative follows the successful implementation of similar microcredential programs through the NSW Institute of Applied Technology – Digital, a partnership between Macquarie University, TAFE NSW and other organisations.
Organisations can access the training through customised programs developed in collaboration with Essemy and CSA, or by selecting from the catalogue of existing courses to integrate cyber skills into broader professional development pathways.
