AUCyberExplorer

About this tool

To help close the cyber security skills gap, AUCyberExplorer provides detailed, actionable data about supply and demand in the Australian cyber security job market. AUCyberExplorer supports local employers, policy makers, educators, guidance and career counsellors, students and current workers.

Cyber security workers protect our most important and private information, from bank accounts to sensitive military communications. However, there is a dangerous shortage of cyber security workers in Australia that puts our digital privacy and infrastructure at risk.

From October 2019 through September 2020, there were 4,500 openings for IT Security Specialists, but only 4,100 workers currently employed in those positions – an annual talent shortfall of 400 workers for cyber security's largest job.

There are 11,700 additional openings requesting cyber security-related skills, and employers are struggling to find workers who possess them. To help close the cyber security skills gap, AUCyberExplorer provides detailed, actionable data about supply and demand in the cyber security job market.

Interactive map

A heat map of cyber security supply and demand

Career pathways

An interactive career pathway showing common roles within cyber security and transition opportunities between them

Certifications and Skills Guide

An interactive skills and certification pathway showing common roles within cyber security and credentials commonly required for them

Methodology

The data analysis and aggregation powering AUCyberExplorer is a collaboration between Emsi Burning Glass, Accenture, and CompTIA. Emsi Burning Glass's artificial intelligence technology analyzes hundreds of millions of job postings and real-life career transitions to provide insight into labor market patterns. BGT used a combination of skill and tool proficiencies, occupations, job titles, and certifications found in job postings to define the broader cyber security landscape in Australia. Thanks goes to CompTIA, GIAC, and ISACA for sharing the supply of certification holders for AUCyberExplorer.

Gathering insights into high-potential career progression for workers, BGT constructed career pathways out of the jobs core to the cyber security landscape. To calculate the NICE workrole category distribution, we reviewed the tasks and KSAs associated with each work role and mapped them to our closest corresponding skills, job titles, and certifications, customizing a matching NICE workrole for each job posting. Employment estimation were derived using a combination of government employment data and the proportion of cyber security job posting in each location. We calculated the location quotient by looking at the concentration of cyber security job postings compared to other job postings—and compared that to the national average. Looking at this quotient, as well as the cyber security supply/demand ratio, workers and employers can find where cyber security jobs are in demand and in supply (or in very low supply).

Heatmap data is for the 12 month period October 2019 to September 2020. Career pathways data is for the last 12 months from today's date.