Veterans to Get Free Cyber-Security Training in Virginia

Know a veteran looking for a new career? Cisco, Amazon Web Services (AWS), ISC2, and the Institute for Veterans and Military Families’ Onward to Opportunity (O2O) have joined together with the Commonwealth of Virginia to sponsor "Cyber Vets Virginia," a free cyber-training pilot program for veterans who want to live and work in the Commonwealth and work in the cyber field, the Governor's Office has announced.

Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe tells the Associated Press there are currently 17,000 open cyber jobs in the state. He says veterans are “extremely well-suited to help close the workforce gap in this growing industry.”

Onward to Opportunity will deliver the training at its facility at the Naval Station Norfolk. The 12 to 15-week training will be primarily be online with weekly classroom sessions. Program registration will begin in January 2017 with training anticipated to begin in April 2017.
Training consists of the following four tracks:

1. Security Operations Center (SOC)
2. Security Infrastructure
3. Security Fundamentals
4. Security Management

Participants who successfully complete the program will be prepared for an industry certification and entry level cyber positions, according to the announcement.

Pre-requisites knowledge requirements vary by track. See links below.

1. Security Operations Center (SOC) – CCNA Cyber Ops
2. Security Infrastructure – CCNA Security
3. Security Fundamentals - Amazon Web Services (AWS) Security Fundamentals
4. Security Management - Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP)

For more information on O2O and the cyber pilot program, contact onward2opportunity.org or Regan N. Hertzler, O2O program coordinator, 757-286-3933, rnhertzl@syr.edu