Governor Terry McAuliffe today announced the launch of Cyber Vets Virginia, a new initiative to provide veterans with access to cybersecurity training and skill development in Virginia. Speaking at the Commonwealth’s Veterans Day Ceremony, Governor McAuliffe announced the innovative initiative as part of Virginia’s continued commitment to help veterans transition back into civilian life and help them fill high-paying jobs in Virginia’s workforce.
“Every year, we set aside Veterans Day to honor all the men and women who have served and sacrificed in uniform for our country,” said Governor McAuliffe, speaking at today’s Veterans Day Ceremony. “As a proud father of a Marine and the son of a World War II veteran, I deeply appreciate the sacrifice, dedication, and service of our veterans, as well as the sacrifices and strength of their families and loved ones. Whether it is functionally ending veteran homelessness, expanding employment opportunities through Virginia Values Veterans program, or improving medical services for combat related injuries like PTSD, we will continue our efforts to make Virginia the best place for our service members, veterans, and their families.
“I am also pleased to launch Cyber Vets Virginia to help our veterans build the skillsets they need to be successful in the new Virginia economy. We currently have 17,000 open cyber jobs in Virginia and our veteran community is extremely well-suited to help close the workforce gap in this growing industry. We will continue to work with our partners and the private sector to build innovative pathways for job training and career development for veterans in Virginia.”
The Cyber Vets Virginia initiative is a unique cyber training collaboration between the Commonwealth and private sector leaders, including CISCO, Amazon Web Services (AWS), ISC2, and the Institute for Veterans and Military Families’ Onward to Opportunity program (O2O). The initiative provides a free, cyber training pilot program for veterans living in Virginia and interested in working in the cyber industry.
Speaking on the importance of Cyber Vets Virginia, Secretary of Veterans and Defense Affairs John Harvey said, “Our veterans have the talent, knowledge, skills, and abilities that translate well to nearly every industry in the Commonwealth. With the launch of Cyber Vets Virginia, the Governor continues to demonstrate his commitment to ensuring that our veterans have high quality employment and educational opportunities. They deserve nothing less.”
Cyber Vets Virginia also provides veterans with a consolidated resource for information related to cybersecurity opportunities in the Commonwealth, including cyber education at Virginia Community Colleges and four year institutions, information on financial support, and tools to help veteran build a career track in the cyber workforce. In addition to educational resources, Cyber Vets Virginia will serve as the pilot platform for the Commonwealth’s inaugural cyber jobs portal, CyberJobs.virginia.gov. The portal aims to create a pathway for former military service members to navigate employment opportunities in Virginia’s cyber sector.
“Cybersecurity is a key pillar in the new Virginia economy and filling the cyber workforce pipeline is critical to sustaining long-term industry growth in the future,” said Secretary of Technology Karen Jackson. “The launch of both the pilot program Cyber Vets Virginia and the Cyber Jobs Portal underscores our commitment to cyber security and our desire for our veterans to be part of the New Virginia cyber workforce.”
For additional information on the Cyber Vets Virginia initiative, please visit cybervets.virginia.gov.
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