VETERANS CYBERSECURITY

TRAINING AND EDUCATION

GUIDE
Your guide to becoming a Cybersecurity Professional
INTRODUCTION
As a veteran transitioning out of military service, you might be thinking about what your next
career move could be. The Veterans Cybersecurity Training and Education Guide is tailored
to veterans looking to gain the necessary skills to transition into a cybersecurity career. The
demand for cybersecurity professionals is growing at 12 times the overall job market,
making cybersecurity one of the most highly sought-after careers in the country.1 This Guide
will help you decide if a cybersecurity profession is right for you and, if it is, provide you with
the right tools and resources to help you transition to your cybersecurity career.

Cybersecurity professionals report an average salary of $116,000—that’s nearly three times

the national average.2 In addition, this career offers you the opportunity to continue to
support a mission that protects citizens, critical information, and even national security.
Many jobs in cybersecurity offer rewards that are similar to your military experience, such as
the ability to thwart adversaries, make quick decisions in dynamic situations, and help
defend your country.

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is committed to helping ensure our nation
has a dependable pipeline of skilled cybersecurity professionals. To support this goal, DHS
is offering training and education resources to U.S. veterans.

WHAT’S INSIDE
Inside you will find a number of tools to help you begin your journey to becoming a
cybersecurity professional.

ASSESS
Assess Your Readiness for a Cybersecurity Career
Take a brief self-assessment to determine if a career in cybersecurity is right for you.

PREPARE
Plan Your Cybersecurity Career
Find tips on what you need to start your cybersecurity career such as educational
requirements, certification and training.

ENGAGE
Launch Your Cybersecurity Career
Arm yourself with the knowledge and training you need to pursue your cybersecurity
career.

1
Burning Glass Technologies, 2014.
2
Burning Glass Technologies, 2015.
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FROM DEFENSE TO CYBER DEFENSE
Transitioning from a military career to civilian life can be challenging and take some
planning. Your military skills and experience can be applied to a variety of jobs, but one
sector stands out as the fastest growing need across the nation—cybersecurity. It’s a field
that allows veterans to transfer a passion for defending our country to a new battlefield –
one that has an ever-changing landscape and many adversaries.

As a veteran, you are likely ahead of your civilian counterparts when it comes to preparing
for a career in cybersecurity. For example, you’ve likely been exposed to security
procedures and can tackle challenges in a timely and systematic fashion. You may also
have already acquired a security clearance during your service which can help you compete
for a federal position. Having a clearance may help speed up the on-boarding process for
you, placing you at an advantage over many civilians.

The cybersecurity field is full of open positions for people with or without degrees. There
are opportunities to get started right away, as well as ample room for professional growth.
Cybersecurity professionals report an average salary of $116,0003 per year, and yet many
cybersecurity jobs go unfilled. In fact, in January 2016, Forbes reported that over 209,000
cybersecurity jobs were still open.4

There is no better fit for a trained, experienced veteran than a needed, growing, and
lucrative field protecting the nation that they love. Consider cybersecurity- a great field,
protecting a grateful nation.

3
Burning Glass Technologies, 2015.
4
http://www.forbes.com/sites/stevemorgan/2016/01/02/one-million-cybersecurity-job-openings-in-
2016/#4653c03e7d27
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 ASSESS YOUR READINESS FOR A
A CYBERSECURITY CAREER
S What is Cybersecurity?
Cybersecurity focuses on protecting
computers, networks, and information
from unauthorized access or attack.
S Essentially, if a device is connected to the Internet, it is vulnerable to attack and needs
to be protected.
E
See what you have in common with cybersecurity professionals. Find
S out how you match up!
S You’re probably wondering if you’d be any good at
Is this a good cybersecurity. You might have more things in
common with cybersecurity professionals than you
think! The table below features various traits of top
career for me? cybersecurity professionals. Do your skillsets and
interests align?

In addition to your personal interests, your military experience may also help pave the
way to a cybersecurity career. Many companies prefer to hire veterans for cybersecurity
positions because of the training these candidates received in the military. Additionally,
some work may require navigating systems and tracking down persistent threats: skills
you may have gained through your service.

Just as your personality and training made you successful in the military, those same
traits and skills could make you successful on various cybersecurity teams. You will
encounter a variety of working environments in a cybersecurity career that will require
agility, critical thinking, and curiosity.

Your military service likely equipped you with the ability to quickly process information
for security decisions, maintain situational awareness, learn on your feet, and respond
in challenging situations: all these abilities may help you be successful in a
cybersecurity career as well.

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 PLAN YOUR CYBERSECURITY CAREER
P The cybersecurity field offers many different jobs in many different environments. You
R might defend a network, create organizational strategies, or even try to breach systems
to test vulnerabilities. Understanding some of the requirements you may need for the
job that looks most interesting to you is the first step in planning your new career.
E You have a number of available options to achieve
P How can I prepare? your career goals in cybersecurity. In many cases,
obtaining certain certifications is all you need to get
a cybersecurity job, while other employers may require a related degree and/or training
A for cybersecurity jobs. As a veteran, you can take advantage of free training and degree
scholarship opportunities to enter the cybersecurity field. Each of these paths will be
R addressed in this guide.
Some of the specific certifications, technical training, and/or cyber-related degrees that
E employers require can be completed in a relatively short period of time with little or no
cost, while others will require a longer and possibly more costly investment in your time
and money. You’ll find different timelines and funding ideas in the PREPARE and
ENGAGE sections below.
Remember - using the Post-9/11 GI Bill, you can get up to 36 months of financial
support for education and training for graduate and undergraduate degrees,
vocational/technical training, correspondence training, licensing and national testing
programs, and tutorial assistance to prepare you for a career in cybersecurity.
Let’s talk about what you need to do to get started. We’ll break these actions into short-
and long-term commitments.
The very nature of cybersecurity reacts to the fast-paced
Short-Term Plan changing threats and vulnerabilities to our nation’s
information systems. Being able to show that you are
familiar with many of these threats in a job interview will set you apart. That’s why
cybersecurity training and certifications are important. There are hundreds of training
courses ranging from general security awareness and online user safety, to highly
technical advanced certifications.
Certifications are industry-recognized
Popular Cybersecurity Certifications
validations of having a specific skill, or 1. CompTIA Security+
experience in a particular subject area. 2. E-C Council Certified Ethical Hacker
Employers often use certifications as a (CEH)
way to identify people with specific skill 3. CompTIA Network+
sets and certifications may help you stand 4. ISC2 Certified Information Systems
Security Professional (CISSP)
out in a competitive job market.
5. CompTIA A+
Security-related certifications are also a
prerequisite for many commercial cybersecurity and defense-related IT security jobs.

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 We’ll go into more detail about certifications and introduce FREE training opportunities
for you in the next section—ENGAGE.
P
R Long-Term Plan Certifications are a great way to quickly make you more
competitive to employers, but many jobs also require a
cyber-related degree. The list below details general expectations you may face in
E the cybersecurity field.

P  Associate’s Degree: Certain entry-level cybersecurity positions may be obtainable

with a two-year associate’s degree in computer science, cybersecurity or a related
field, plus work experience. Advancing in the Cybersecurity and/or Information
A Technology profession usually requires at least a bachelor’s degree.

R  Bachelor’s Degree: Plan on obtaining a four-year degree to compete for most

cybersecurity jobs. A bachelor’s degree in computer science, information
technology, engineering or a related discipline can be a good start. Some employers
E may also look for advanced training, industry certifications or work experience.
 Master’s Degree: Some employers hiring for cybersecurity positions may require
candidates to have an advanced degree, such as a Master of Science in
Cybersecurity, Information Assurance, or a related field. An advanced degree
typically takes an additional two years beyond the bachelor’s level.
We’ll go into more detail on degrees and explain how you can enroll in government-
designated academic institutions and earn scholarships in the next section—ENGAGE.

As part of your short- and long-term plan, it will be important to

Cyber Roles identify which cybersecurity area(s) you are most interested in
exploring.
The National Cybersecurity Workforce Framework provides a common language on
cyber roles and helps define professional requirements in cybersecurity. The Workforce
Framework organizes cybersecurity into seven high-level categories, each comprised of
several Specialty Areas.
This organizing structure is based on extensive job analyses that groups together work
and workers that share common major functions, regardless of job titles or other
occupational terms. The Workforce Framework includes many categories of work you
might find familiar from your military career. Click the link to explore the Workforce
Framework or visit https://niccs.us-cert.gov/training/national-cybersecurity-workforce-
framework.

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 While technical expertise is sought after, not all cybersecurity work opportunities require
deep technical expertise – there is a strong need for individuals with experience and
P skills in program management, people management, policy development, and training
– to name just a few.
R For example, when you explore categories like Oversight and Development and Operate
and Maintain you’ll find less technical roles like:
E  Education and Training (developing, planning, and delivering training on
cybersecurity subjects)
P  Strategic Planning and Policy Development (defining strategy and policy direction
as it pertains to cybersecurity standards and operations)
 Knowledge Management (managing, organizing, and securing access to
A information)
 Data Administration (Developing and administering databases that allow for the
R storage, query, and utilization of data)

E Exploring the Workforce Framework, its categories and specialty areas will give you a
good feel for the wide range of options available to you as you prepare to launch your
new cybersecurity career.

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 LAUNCH YOUR CYBERSECURITY CAREER
E
Now that you are familiar with the cybersecurity field and
N How do I start? where you can fit in, here are some additional practical
items you can arm yourself with to launch your new career.
The section below is divided into training (short-term commitment) and degree (longer-
G term commitment). We’ll show you how easy it is to complete cybersecurity
certifications, take training, and enroll in cyber-related degree programs. Many of these
A resources are free for veterans.

G Training
DHS offers you two ways to find thousands of training courses. First, through free online,
E on-demand cybersecurity training. Second, through a larger training catalog of courses
offered by vendors across the country for those looking for additional training.

DHS and Hire Our Heroes have teamed up to offer veterans

Free Training cybersecurity training through access to the Federal Virtual
Training Environment (FedVTE). FedVTE includes prep courses for the most popular
certifications in the industry. As a veteran, you can use this program for free.

These courses can build your skills to prepare you for cybersecurity jobs. You can access
the training from any internet-enabled computer and start/stop the courses at your own
pace.

FedVTE delivers nearly 35,000 hours of training per month and includes cutting-edge
training courses, executive-level training, and industry certification preparation courses.
Some FedVTE courses may count toward continuing education credits with some
certification or formal education providers.

Follow these easy steps to get started:

1. Sign up for your FedVTE Account

The FedVTE How-to-Guide provides easy instructions on how you can register for
your free FedVTE account.

2. Follow a cybersecurity training pathway

The FedVTE Training Pathway will help you start training based on your level of
cybersecurity experience. The pathway also provides a detailed outline of how to
navigate the training resources available to you and where you can begin in the
process.

3. Browse the FedVTE Course Catalog

The FedVTE Course Catalog includes over 45 cybersecurity training courses and
certifications. It is updated on a quarterly basis as additional courses are added
to FedVTE.
The above resources can also be found at https://niccs.us-cert.gov/training/fedvte
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E Vendor-offered Courses In addition to FedVTE, DHS offers multiple
training and education resources, including an
extensive Training Catalog at https://niccs.us-
N cert.gov/training/tc/search which maps cybersecurity courses to Specialty Areas you
learned about in the National Cybersecurity Workforce Framework. You can quickly
G identify the courses you need to get started (beginner or advanced) within your specialty
area or add skills to your resume.
A The Training Catalog organizes more than 2,000 courses provided by several leading
organizations across the country. Fees might be associated with some training
G providers. A broad range of courses are offered online and across the country to meet
the needs of anyone interested in training.

E DHS and the National Security Agency (NSA) jointly

Degree Programs sponsor the National Centers of Academic Excellence
(CAE) and designate colleges and universities around the
country as CAEs for their cybersecurity/information assurance degree programs. This
enables you to find a school nearby, where you can feel confident in the education you
receive and be prepared to enter a cybersecurity career.
CAE institutions offer cyber-related degree programs at two- and four-year colleges and
universities. Program graduates often develop into cybersecurity experts who help to
protect national security information systems, commercial networks, and critical
information infrastructure in the private
and public sectors. To learn more about Other financial assistance to consider:
the CAE program, visit: https://niccs.us-  Yellow Ribbon Program
cert.gov/education/national-centers-  Tuition discounts for veterans at
some colleges/universities
academic-excellence-cae

DHS partners with the National Science

Scholarship Opportunities Foundation on the CyberCorps®:
Scholarship for Service (SFS) program,
which offers cybersecurity scholarships to outstanding undergraduate, graduate, and
doctoral students in exchange for service in a federal, state, local, or tribal government
organization. SFS scholarships may fully fund the typical costs incurred by full-time
students while attending a participating institution, including tuition and related fees for
up to two years. Combine this with your GI bill and you might end up with a free
cybersecurity degree! To learn more about the SFS program, visit: www.sfs.opm.gov.

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THE TIME IS NOW!
Our country faces a global threat and the new battlefield is online. We are looking to our
veterans to accept a new challenge and defend our nation’s networks.

This guide has provided you an introduction to a new career path that will help you to
continue serving your country. Taking the time to assess your skills and crosswalk them to
cybersecurity traits has allowed you to see whether cybersecurity is a good fit for you.

The prepare section gave you a variety of ways to transfer your skills into the cybersecurity
workforce and showed you that veterans with technical and non-technical skills can excel
in cybersecurity careers. It also provided you with multiple options to pursue your career
through short- and long-term approaches to launching your cybersecurity career.

Finally, the engage section gave you training and education tools— helping you take the
first steps towards a fulfilling and lucrative career as a cyber warrior.

Come meet the challenge and stand beside us. Your cybersecurity career awaits!

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Appendix A: FedVTE Training Pathway

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Appendix B: Register for a FedVTE Account

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