Petar Vojinovic
Published on: November 7, 2025
In today’s interview with SafetyDetectives, we spoke with James Lim, Co-Founder and CEO of the Centre For Cybersecurity, about how his organization is transforming the way cybersecurity professionals are trained. By combining hands-on simulations, 24/7 practice labs, and empathetic mentorship, the Centre equips mid-career professionals with the practical skills and real-world experience needed to tackle the fast-evolving threats in today’s digital landscape. From preparing individuals for new cyber roles to strengthening organizational security, James shares how his team is bridging the gap between theory and practice in cybersecurity education.
Could you tell us about how the Centre For Cybersecurity was founded and how it has evolved since 2021?
Back in 2021, it was post-covid which forced rapid digital transformation and remote work, expanding attack surfaces. There was a rise in demand for cyber security practitioners, and we had feedback from the industry that existing and traditional theoretical training were not sufficient for the workforce to keep up.
This sparked the mission to provide “hands-on cybersecurity training and empathetic mentorship” to empower individuals, specifically mid-career individuals looking to enter the industry and build a community of skilled professionals dedicated to securing organisations using real-world simulators and 24/7 practice labs.
We designed the courses to ease students into cybersecurity careers that fit the Singapore market, especially those without previous IT background. To date, we have trained more than 400 students and more than 40 organisations ranging from Government, Financial Institutions, MNCs to Local Service and Consultancy Companies have hired our graduates.
We have also expanded our training to corporate awareness and tabletops to empower the workforce in understanding the cybersecurity landscape and steps to defend themselves and their organisations digitally and psychologically.
How do you differentiate your hands-on cybersecurity training model from more traditional theoretical programs?
The Hands-on cybersecurity training is scenario-based. We provide real-world simulation and 24/7 practice labs so learners can apply skills, not just memorise and regurgitate theory. The learners are trained to apply what they learn from the training and they have to be resourceful to piece together the knowledge and skills that they have learned to use and apply in those simulations.
The students are tested periodically to keep their mind sharp, think critically and assess their competencies. For example, the “Cybersecurity Career Kickstart+” programme includes 28 real-world simulations, 4 portfolio projects, and access to a 24-by-7 cyber lab.
What challenges have you faced in scaling your practice labs and simulators to meet growing demand?
While the practice labs and simulators have provided the students the training, the industry has also been growing by leaps and bounds.
- In 2020, the majority of the cyber focus was on existing infrastructure.
- In 2021, cloud and supply chain attacks became the focus.
- In 2022-2023, ransomware went rampant.
- In 2024, AI and automations took the centre stage.
Year on year, the industry had new attacks to fend, and the students had to pick up extra knowledge while honing their fundamentals. The labs and simulations had to keep up while information was scarce.
How do you measure the real impact of your training on students’ employability and organisational security posture?
There are 2 aspects to measure the real impact of the training: Quantitative and Qualitative.
1. Quantitative:
- We measure the students who got in cyber roles,
- the length of employment
2. Qualitative:
- Employer feedback of the training quality
- Employer feedback of the students’ performance (subjected to the openness of the employer as well)
What major innovations or expansions do you foresee for your company in the next 3–5 years?
1. Other forms of Enterprise training such as board level, risk management.
2. Other types of Cyber Training such as Cloud and AI.
3. Scale the company regionally
