Facilitator spotlight: Dr Jabed Chowdhury
3 Min Read
Cybersecurity is one of the fastest-growing industries in today’s digital age, and with it comes a need for professionals with a deep understanding of the field. La Trobe University is at the forefront of this movement, offering microcredentialed short courses that provide participants with the necessary skills to excel in the sector without having to commit to a full degree program.
Leading the charge is Dr Jabed Chowdhury, a Certified Ethical Hacker and Subject Coordinator for the Cyber Risk Management short course (CSE5CRM). Dr Chowdhury believes that these short courses are the perfect way for professionals to taste test a career in cybersecurity.
‘This is a good opportunity, because if you enrol in a two-year Master’s degree and unfortunately you don’t like it, then you’ve wasted your time. But a microcredential subject is a two-week or four-week subject,’ says Dr Chowdhury. ‘I think in terms of flexibility and your ambitions, it will save you time, it will save you money, and it will be very focused on what your aspiration is.’
With 36 cybersecurity short courses to choose from, ranging from introductory to more advanced, there is something for everyone. From learning about Introduction to Data Security and Information Assurance to gaining specialised technical skills such as Applied Penetration Testing and Hacking or business skills such as Business Continuity Planning and Legal Compliance in Cybersecurity , you’ll find a course that suits your needs and career goals.
The short courses are also stackable; credit points earned can be transferred to a degree at a later stage if the participant decides to pursue the topic in more depth.
This gives the short courses a ‘try before you buy’ element and empowers participants to determine whether they want to pursue the industry before enrolling in a degree. Derived from Master’s subjects, each of the La Trobe cybersecurity microcredentials is assigned a credit point value and can be stacked towards up to 50% credit of La Trobe’s graduate certificate, graduate diploma or Master of Cybersecurity.
Dr Chowdhury noted that Australia’s need for cross-industry professionals equipped with cybersecurity skills will continue to grow . ‘We need lawyers who understand cybersecurity. We need people trained in psychology to understand the mindset of hackers. We need the politicians who will be formulating our next cyber plan for cyber hacks to understand cybersecurity. We need writers who can write about cybersecurity in a way that regular people can understand. And we have to train teachers so that they can share cyber safety knowledge with the next generations,’ Dr Chowdhury said.
Telling us a little bit about his background, Dr Chowdhury told us that his passion for cybersecurity began in his undergraduate computer science degree when he saw the impact of hacks on society, leading him to pursue further study in the field. After obtaining his Master’s degree, Dr Chowdhury went on to complete his PhD in Australia and began his career as a lecturer in cybersecurity.
In his three years as a lecturer, Dr Chowdhury has received numerous teaching excellence awards and is now applying for two highly coveted grants in the field. He is deeply fulfilled by his work as both a researcher and a teacher, finding joy in helping students of all abilities learn and succeed in cybersecurity.
Aside from his subject-specific research on critical cybersecurity risks in blockchain systems, Dr Chowdhury is also motivated to upskill people in cybersecurity by helping to teach the next generation of professionals. He believes that education is a key factor in the fight against cybercrime, and he is dedicated to preparing his students for the challenges of the industry.