Cisco Systems will partner with leading industry partners and the state to train North Carolina veterans for jobs in the cybersecurity workforce. The announcement was made by state officials and representatives from Cisco at this morning’s meeting of the NCWorks Commission meeting, Gov. Roy Cooper’s statewide workforce development board.
“North Carolina is the most military friendly state in the nation and we’re proud that so many of our veterans choose to stay here when they return to civilian life. Veterans play a crucial role in powering our economy and we must make sure they have the skills they need to thrive in the workforce. The cybersecurity field is vital to the 21st century economy and I’m pleased that Cisco recognizes that North Carolina’s talented veterans are the perfect fit for these important jobs,” said Governor Cooper.
Today’s announcement comes just days after Veterans Day and coincides with Employ a Veteran Week in North Carolina, declared by Governor Cooper between November 12 – 16, 2018. Read the proclamation here.
Approximately 3.5 million cybersecurity jobs will need skilled workers to fill them around the world by the year 2021. North Carolina will be home to many of those vacant positions as the tech industry is poised to grow 10.4 percent over the next four years. The nearly 20,000 men and women in the military who return to civilian life each year in North Carolina are strong candidates for careers in cybersecurity.
To connect North Carolina veterans with cybersecurity jobs, Cisco Systems, Inc. will partner with industry partners, the N.C. Department of Military and Veterans Affairs, the N.C. Department of Information Technology, the N.C. Department of Commerce, and post-secondary institutions and veteran service organizations throughout the state to bring the CyberVetsUSA program to North Carolina.
CyberVetsUSA is a free cybersecurity training program for eligible veterans, service members transitioning to civilian life, military spouses, and members of the Reserves and National Guard who are interested in pursuing a cybersecurity career. Participants can get online cybersecurity training at no cost using self-paced, online cyber-related training content provided by leading industry partners Cisco, Amazon Web Services, ISC2, Palo Alto Networks, Fortinet, NetApp, and National Development Group.
Program participants can choose from over a dozen highly sought-after courses to earn certifications in cybersecurity operations, secure infrastructure, software engineering, operations/technical support, security management, and network security. Additionally, they will have access to mentoring and career resources as well as direct connections to employment opportunities.
"Cisco recognizes the value of bringing veterans into the workplace and is proud to support North Carolina's CyberVetsUSA program to help provide educational and career opportunities for veterans in the high-demand field of cybersecurity,” said Tae Yoo, Senior Vice President of Corporate Affairs at Cisco. “CyberVetsUSA North Carolina also allows us to deepen our commitment in North Carolina, home to Cisco’s second largest U.S. campus."
North Carolina is the third state to partner with Cisco to launch CyberVetsUSA, joining Maryland and Virginia. For more information on the program, visit it.nc.gov/cybervetsusa.
The new partnership to train veterans for cybersecurity jobs is part of Governor Cooper’s NC Job Ready strategy to prepare North Carolinians for the jobs of today and tomorrow. NC Job Ready has three core principles: skills and education attainment, employer leadership to remain relevant to evolving industry needs, and local innovation to take great ideas and apply them statewide.
Earlier this month, Gov. Cooper announced new tools to help North Carolina veterans find jobs and connect employers with veterans. Available at veterans.ncworks.gov, the NCWorks Veterans Portal features tabs that provide quick access to employment services, job fairs, education and training options, helpful tips and other resources. A tab for employers also helps businesses recruit candidates with military experience.