ESET opens fifth Women in Cybersecurity scholarship in Australia

Program aims to support women’s participation in cyber workforce amid ongoing skills shortages.

Eset has launched the fifth year of its Women in Cybersecurity scholarship in Australia. It provides financial support and access to mentorship and career growth and is open to women enrolled in undergraduate or postgraduate IT or cybersecurity degrees.

“Encouraging more women to pursue cybersecurity careers will help strengthen Australia’s talent pipeline and drive innovation across the industry,” said Parvinder Walia, president of the APAC region, Eset.

Interest in the program has grown steadily since its launch, according to Walia, reflecting the importance of initiatives that support women entering the industry.

“Encouragingly, more women are exploring careers in the field and participating in cybersecurity programs and initiatives,” Walia said.

Scholarship recipients have gone on to pursue careers across a range of STEM fields, including positions within cybersecurity firms, government organisations and space agencies.

“Several have also become advocates for diversity in technology, helping inspire more women to consider careers in the field,” he added.

It comes as the recent International Women’s Day highlighted ongoing barriers to promotion and pay equality facing women in the cyber workforce.

According to the latest ISC2 Cybersecurity Workforce Study, a third (34 percent) of women respondents said pay or promotion inequity has prevented them from moving forward, compared to just 19 percent of men.

Nearly half of women respondents (45 percent) said work-life balance and caregiving demands were the top challenge they faced in staying and advancing in cybersecurity, compared to 29 percent of men respondents.

“It’s why initiatives that create opportunities, mentorship and visibility remain important,” Walia told CRN Australia.

Diversity efforts linked to cyber skills shortages

With an ongoing skills gap across cybersecurity, improving the participation and retention of women in the workforce is vital.

Some 59 percent of organisations reported critical or significant cybersecurity skills shortages, with AI, cloud security and risk assessment the top skills needed by security teams, according to the ISC2 study.

Walia said strengthening the workforce pipeline requires closer collaboration between universities, industry and the government to align education with real-world security challenges.

“Expanding internships, hands-on training opportunities and research programs can help ensure graduates enter the workforce with practical skills and experience,” he said.

As AI and automation reshape the threat landscape, it requires strong technical foundations and skills in data analytics, threat intelligence and AI-driven security.

“At the same time, programs should emphasise critical thinking, adaptability and real-world problem solving to prepare graduates for a rapidly evolving environment,” he added.