The Optus Business cybersecurity scholarship, unique to La Trobe University, is now open.
Optus Business will continue to support the education of cybersecurity professionals by also sponsoring three $10,000 scholarships for the Master of Cybersecurity offered at La Trobe University. Applications will open 21 November.
In total, Optus is contributing $75,000 to La Trobe University cybersecurity scholarships in 2018, for both undergraduate and postgraduate.
Officially announcing the scholarships, Managing Director of Optus Business John Paitaridis said collaboration between industry and academia was imperative in tackling the growing threat of cybercrime.
“If Australia is to compete in an increasingly connected digital era, steps must be taken to encourage and build the next generation cybersecurity workforce,” Mr Paitaridis said.
“Working collaboratively with La Trobe University to develop a Bachelor of Cybersecurity Scholarship is a great way for Optus to contribute to growing the cybersecurity professionals of the future.”
La Trobe University Associate Professor in Cybersecurity Dr Paul Watters said he was delighted with the vote of confidence from Optus Business.
“We are very excited about our course in the fastest growing jobs sector of the ever expanding digital economy,” Dr Watters said.
“To have Optus Business on board with us from the start, providing expert input into the syllabus and bringing work experience and placement opportunities for our students, is invaluable.
“The course has been developed from scratch over the past year, so is as up-to-date as it could possibly be. It has an agile syllabus that can change with ongoing developments in cybersecurity and cybercrime, and the curriculum is also informed by psychology and business.”
Cybersecurity is already one of the fastest-growing professions in Australia and will be for the foreseeable future, with the digital economy growing and attacks becoming more sophisticated and widespread.
“La Trobe is a University that prides itself on having its students career ready,” Dr Watters said.
“Just looking at Optus, its cybersecurity team has grown enormously over the past five years.
“The reputational and financial cost of cybercrime cannot be underestimated and we expect La Trobe University to become one of the key recruiting grounds for businesses over the coming years.”
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Media contacts: Sally Heppleston – s.heppleston@latrobe.edu.au – 0408 556 018
Steve Batten – media@optus.com.au – 02 8082 7850
