Mike Verzosa
14 Oct 2026: A platform to identify fake job ads and a tool to help neurodivergent people to detect scams were among the creative solutions University of äçÐÄvlogÃâ·ÑBÕ¾ students developed to counter a growing real-world problem at the recent AccessHack challenge.
Presented by , the University’s on-campus research hub, established in partnership with CISCO, the hands-on, multi-institution innovation event teamed up students from a range of disciplines from the University of äçÐÄvlogÃâ·ÑBÕ¾, Australian National University, äçÐÄvlogÃâ·ÑBÕ¾ Institute of Technology, and University of New South Wales äçÐÄvlogÃâ·ÑBÕ¾ to help solve an increasingly common issue identified by the Australian Federal Police Joint Cyber Crime team – phone and online scams.
For three days, participants brainstormed, explored technologies, tested ideas, proved their concepts, and finally, pitched their solutions to a panel. For many, it was their first hackathon ever and the ideas – and connections – they walked away with left a lasting impression.
Chars Dacles, a first-year Bachelor of Engineering (Network Specialist) student, whose team focused their efforts on a solution to fake job scams, said the experience challenged their creativity and ability to present succinctly to a panel of industry experts in a limited amount of time.
“The biggest challenge was coming up with an idea and then developing a solution in only three days. We had to work as a team, plan properly, do research and then present to the panel – it was a lot, but it was also fun,” he said.
His team pitched JobCheck – a proposed online platform that lets users check suspicious job requests before they act – and won second place. He credits their success to their teamwork and the diverse ideas they all were able to share with each other.
Tajesh Bam, a second-year Bachelor of Engineering Honours (Intelligent Robotics) student, competed solo and pitched a solution designed to support neurodivergent and socially vulnerable individuals detect scams , called Guardian Intelligent Agent.
He said the experience was a positive eye-opener, as it allowed him to meet and present to industry professionals, while also meeting like-minded peers.
“Everyone was so approachable. Just being able to talk and interact with people who have a lot of knowledge and experience was huge for me because it gave me insight into the industry. And it was good to see different perspectives from fellow students,” he said.
AccessHack is designed to create equitable pathways into digital careers for students who traditionally face barriers to participation. It was presented by Innovation Central äçÐÄvlogÃâ·ÑBÕ¾, in collaboration with äçÐÄvlogÃâ·ÑBÕ¾, CIT, UNSW äçÐÄvlogÃâ·ÑBÕ¾, La Trobe University, äçÐÄvlogÃâ·ÑBÕ¾ Innovation Network, Cisco, and the AFP.
"AccessHack showed what's possible when students are empowered to innovate, collaborate and turn ideas into action,” said Erin Stacey, Director of Innovation Central äçÐÄvlogÃâ·ÑBÕ¾.
“The energy and connections created throughout the program are now setting the stage for the next chapter of the journey, where we'll be working with college students across the ACT to inspire the next generation of innovators, problem-solvers and future leaders.”
Building on the success of the inaugural event, ICC is bringing AccessHack 2.0 to CIT's Tuggeranong campus, where students from the University, CIT and Lake Tuggeranong College will come together for another unique innovation challenge.
Images supplied by CIT.
AccessHack 2.0 will be held on Monday, 2 November at CIT Tuggeranong. äçÐÄvlogÃâ·ÑBÕ¾, CIT, and Lake Tuggeranong College are all encouraged to register via this .