{"id":17189,"date":"2019-12-13T10:10:07","date_gmt":"2019-12-13T18:10:07","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.palada.net\/index.php\/2019\/12\/13\/news-10925\/"},"modified":"2019-12-13T10:10:07","modified_gmt":"2019-12-13T18:10:07","slug":"news-10925","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.palada.net\/index.php\/2019\/12\/13\/news-10925\/","title":{"rendered":"New Women in CyberSecurity (WiCyS) veterans program aims to bridge skills gap, diversify sector"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><strong>Credit to Author: Jovi Umawing| Date: Fri, 13 Dec 2019 17:02:07 +0000<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>The cybersecurity industry has a problem:\u00a0<a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" aria-label=\" (opens in a new tab)\" href=\"https:\/\/web.archive.org\/web\/20160919152149\/https:\/cybersecurityventures.com\/career-news\/\" target=\"_blank\">We have zero unemployment rate.<\/a> Or so we&#8217;re told.<\/p>\n<p>With experts predicting millions of job openings in the years to come\u2014coupled with the industry\u2019s <a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" aria-label=\" (opens in a new tab)\" href=\"https:\/\/www.fortunebusinessinsights.com\/industry-reports\/cyber-security-market-101165\" target=\"_blank\">projected growth of US$289.9 billion by 2026<\/a> and soaring cyberattacks against businesses\u2014now is as good a time as any for organizations to face the problem of the alleged <a href=\"https:\/\/blog.malwarebytes.com\/security-world\/2018\/06\/whats-causing-the-cybersecurity-skills-gap\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" aria-label=\"skills shortage (opens in a new tab)\">skills shortage<\/a> and take action.<\/p>\n<p>Because here&#8217;s the unspoken reality: Organizations may have problems filling IT roles, but it&#8217;s not for lack of available employees. Perhaps it&#8217;s simply a problem of overlooking the millions of applicants with transferable skills. That&#8217;s where Women in CyberSecurity aims to step in.<\/p>\n<h3>Women in CyberSecurity launches veterans program<\/h3>\n<p><a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" aria-label=\" (opens in a new tab)\" href=\"https:\/\/www.wicys.org\/\" target=\"_blank\">Women in CyberSecurity (WiCyS)<\/a>, a not-for-profit organization, launched <a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" aria-label=\" (opens in a new tab)\" href=\"https:\/\/www.wicys.org\/veterans\" target=\"_blank\">the Veteran\u2019s Assistance Program<\/a> this November with the goal of connecting female veterans to jobs in the cybersecurity industry and providing a support network for its members. The program aims to:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Eliminate barriers that may hinder a veteran job candidate from being employed<\/li>\n<li>Grow the cybersecurity workforce by introducing more women into cybersecurity<\/li>\n<li>Help female veterans navigate into the cybersecurity industry as they transition and re-adjust to civilian life<\/li>\n<li>Offer female vets the opportunity, community support, and resources to launch a career and thrive in the field<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Women in CyberSecurity isn\u2019t the first or only organization that has looked to military veterans to help fill in vacant positions in cybersecurity. Palo Alto Networks recently launched a free cybersecurity training and certification initiative called <a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" aria-label=\" (opens in a new tab)\" href=\"https:\/\/www.bleepingcomputer.com\/news\/security\/free-cybersecurity-training-now-available-for-us-veterans\/\" target=\"_blank\">Second Watch<\/a>. The SANS Institute also opened the scholarship-based\u00a0<a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" aria-label=\" (opens in a new tab)\" href=\"https:\/\/www.sans.org\/cybertalent\/cybersecurity-career\/vetsuccess-academy\" target=\"_blank\">SANS CyberTalent VetSuccess Immersion Academy<\/a>. Even Facebook partnered with CodePath.org and hundreds of students and professors last year to unveil the <a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" aria-label=\" (opens in a new tab)\" href=\"https:\/\/fbcodepath.splashthat.com\/\" target=\"_blank\">Facebook Cybersecurity University for Veterans<\/a>\u00a0in which\u00a0<a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" aria-label=\" (opens in a new tab)\" href=\"https:\/\/www.infosecurity-magazine.com\/news\/facebook-cybersecurity-graduates\/\" target=\"_blank\">33 veterans<\/a>\u00a0were able to graduate from the camp.<\/p>\n<p>But what sets the WiCyS Veteran\u2019s Assistance Program apart is their intentionality and focus in bringing more female veterans into the fold. Although they don\u2019t conduct cybersecurity trainings, they <a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" aria-label=\"offer resources (opens in a new tab)\" href=\"https:\/\/static1.squarespace.com\/static\/5985f3ae4c0dbf14605d1cbf\/t\/5ddec23be6b0e7013a1ded55\/1574879803827\/Together+We+Serve+Flyer.pdf\" target=\"_blank\">offer resources<\/a> and more: professional development, career training, mentorship, and a dedicated support system that will be there for their members in the long run. <\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe want to provide a community of sisterhood that understands what their challenges and needs are and match them to employers who also understand their needs and transferable skills,\u201d says Dr. Amelia Estwick, founding member and vice president of the WiCyS Mid-Atlantic Affiliate.<\/p>\n<p>WiCyS members who are female veterans are given an opportunity to receive a Veterans Fellowship Award, provided they are eligible.<\/p>\n<p>The award, sponsored by the Craig Newmark Philanthropies, is exclusively for female veterans who (1) are interested in making a career in cybersecurity or (2) are already are in it but would like to further advance their career.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/forms.zohopublic.com\/zohodocs1545\/form\/Veterans\/formperma\/M1Xm3mn9iewPAsq80tNp__23cxVNfvMKFe5gprSk3XA\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" aria-label=\"Applications for the award (opens in a new tab)\">Applications for the award<\/a> are still open until Sunday, December 15. Eligible candidates will start receiving notifications from December 22 onward.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed-twitter aligncenter wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"550\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">The WiCyS Veteran Fellowship Award will be provided to selected eligible female veterans who are interested in or already working in cybersecurity. Applications are open until December 15. Visit <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/GaL6Y7eJrq\">https:\/\/t.co\/GaL6Y7eJrq<\/a> for more information! <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/qlbrebsWdO\">pic.twitter.com\/qlbrebsWdO<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&mdash; Women in CyberSecurity (@WiCySorg) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/WiCySorg\/status\/1195184025264152576?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">November 15, 2019<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script> <\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<h3>This hard task of shifting<\/h3>\n<p>Although transition programs are set up to help military members rejoin the workforce, finding a job hasn\u2019t been easy for most of them, even with their highly-specialized, STEM-related training and cybersecurity\u2019s dire need for diverse, skilled workers. This frustrates Estwick, who herself is a US Army veteran working in cybersecurity as program manager of the National Cybersecurity Institute at Excelsior College.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;I kept hearing these numbers about lack of talent, and lack of diversity, and the skills gap, and I said, &#8216;Why do they keep saying these jobs aren\u2019t filled when I talk to a lot of military women transitioning who say they can\u2019t find a job?&#8217;&#8221; she recounts. &#8220;They have transferable skills that they\u2019ve gained through the service. There\u2019s no way in the world these women should have trouble finding jobs.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>Many former veterans already working in cybersecurity say that the industry is the best fit yet for those who served in the armed forces. The overlapping of cybersecurity and military terminologies and tactics alone merits this hand-in-glove relationship.<\/p>\n<p>Not only are veterans armed with STEM-related knowledge and technical aptitude, Estwick asserts, they have also dealt with many of the same issues in privacy, compliance, and regulation we in cybersecurity deal with today. Furthermore, she says, they have more developed soft skills, such as teamwork, leadership, attention to detail, and communication\u2014key skills they have carried with them from their time in the service.<\/p>\n<h3>An honorary salute<\/h3>\n<p>In our eyes, veterans are and will always be defenders and heroes. It shouldn\u2019t surprise us to see them on the front lines of the digital world as well. For WiCyS, putting highly-skilled female veterans in view of organizations who are looking to fill in-demand positions is just the beginning. <\/p>\n<p>&#8220;We\u2019re dealing with female veterans, but eventually, we could add military spouses or other groups. There are so many other slices of the pie we want to add. But we need to identify what their needs are now. The more we have joining us, the better informed we are to address those needs,&#8221; says Estwick.<\/p>\n<p>While transitioning to civilian life is a challenge to all former military members, female veterans in particular shouldn\u2019t be bogged down by employment barriers\u2014real and perceived\u2014when planning to make a career in cybersecurity and grow in it. <\/p>\n<p>&#8220;There\u2019s this nasty fog over cybersecurity. You get a lot of women who feel they\u2019re not technical enough, not good enough for the field. It\u2019s a change of mindset.&#8221; Estwick counsels. &#8220;Don\u2019t diminish yourself. You have extremely valuable talent, knowledge, skill, and ability that employers should be very proud to have.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>The post <a rel=\"nofollow\" href=\"https:\/\/blog.malwarebytes.com\/careers\/2019\/12\/women-in-cybersecurity-wicys-veterans-program-bridge-skills-gap-diversify-sector\/\">New Women in CyberSecurity (WiCyS) veterans program aims to bridge skills gap, diversify sector<\/a> appeared first on <a rel=\"nofollow\" href=\"https:\/\/blog.malwarebytes.com\">Malwarebytes Labs<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/blog.malwarebytes.com\/careers\/2019\/12\/women-in-cybersecurity-wicys-veterans-program-bridge-skills-gap-diversify-sector\/\" target=\"bwo\" >https:\/\/blog.malwarebytes.com\/feed\/<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p><strong>Credit to Author: Jovi Umawing| Date: Fri, 13 Dec 2019 17:02:07 +0000<\/strong><\/p>\n<table cellpadding='10'>\n<tr>\n<td valign='top' align='center'><a href='https:\/\/blog.malwarebytes.com\/careers\/2019\/12\/women-in-cybersecurity-wicys-veterans-program-bridge-skills-gap-diversify-sector\/' title='New Women in CyberSecurity (WiCyS) veterans program aims to bridge skills gap, diversify sector'><img src='https:\/\/blog.malwarebytes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/shutterstock_199527800.jpg' border='0'  width='300px'  \/><\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td valign='top' align='left'>A shortage of skilled professionals is a recognized, longstanding problem in the cybersecurity industry\u2014but does it hold merit? Nonprofit Women in CyberSecurity challenge the notion with a new program connecting skilled veterans to security jobs.<\/p>\n<p>Categories: <\/p>\n<ul class=\"post-categories\">\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/blog.malwarebytes.com\/category\/careers\/\" rel=\"category tag\">Careers<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Tags: <a href=\"https:\/\/blog.malwarebytes.com\/tag\/craig-newmark\/\" rel=\"tag\">Craig Newmark<\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/blog.malwarebytes.com\/tag\/craig-newmark-philanthropies\/\" rel=\"tag\">Craig Newmark Philanthropies<\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/blog.malwarebytes.com\/tag\/cybersecurity-skills-gap\/\" rel=\"tag\">cybersecurity skills gap<\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/blog.malwarebytes.com\/tag\/facebook-cybersecurity-university-for-veterans\/\" rel=\"tag\">Facebook Cybersecurity University for Veterans<\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/blog.malwarebytes.com\/tag\/second-watch\/\" rel=\"tag\">Second Watch<\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/blog.malwarebytes.com\/tag\/skills-gap\/\" rel=\"tag\">skills gap<\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/blog.malwarebytes.com\/tag\/skills-shortage\/\" rel=\"tag\">skills shortage<\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/blog.malwarebytes.com\/tag\/veteran-fellowship-award\/\" rel=\"tag\">Veteran Fellowship Award<\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/blog.malwarebytes.com\/tag\/veterans-assistance-program\/\" rel=\"tag\">Veteran&#8217;s Assistance Program<\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/blog.malwarebytes.com\/tag\/veterans-program\/\" rel=\"tag\">veterans program<\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/blog.malwarebytes.com\/tag\/vetsuccess\/\" rel=\"tag\">VetSuccess<\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/blog.malwarebytes.com\/tag\/wicys\/\" rel=\"tag\">WiCyS<\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/blog.malwarebytes.com\/tag\/women-in-cybersecurity\/\" rel=\"tag\">Women in CyberSecurity<\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/blog.malwarebytes.com\/tag\/zero-employment\/\" rel=\"tag\">zero employment<\/a><\/p>\n<table width='100%'>\n<tr>\n<td align=right>\n<p><b>(<a href='https:\/\/blog.malwarebytes.com\/careers\/2019\/12\/women-in-cybersecurity-wicys-veterans-program-bridge-skills-gap-diversify-sector\/' title='New Women in CyberSecurity (WiCyS) veterans program aims to bridge skills gap, diversify sector'>Read more&#8230;<\/a>)<\/b><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/table>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/table>\n<p>The post <a rel=\"nofollow\" href=\"https:\/\/blog.malwarebytes.com\/careers\/2019\/12\/women-in-cybersecurity-wicys-veterans-program-bridge-skills-gap-diversify-sector\/\">New Women in CyberSecurity (WiCyS) veterans program aims to bridge skills gap, diversify sector<\/a> appeared first on <a rel=\"nofollow\" href=\"https:\/\/blog.malwarebytes.com\">Malwarebytes Labs<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"colormag_page_container_layout":"default_layout","colormag_page_sidebar_layout":"default_layout","footnotes":""},"categories":[10488,10378],"tags":[8746,23742,23743,18810,23744,23745,18309,18310,23746,23747,23748,23749,23750,23751,23752],"class_list":["post-17189","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-malwarebytes","category-security","tag-careers","tag-craig-newmark","tag-craig-newmark-philanthropies","tag-cybersecurity-skills-gap","tag-facebook-cybersecurity-university-for-veterans","tag-second-watch","tag-skills-gap","tag-skills-shortage","tag-veteran-fellowship-award","tag-veterans-assistance-program","tag-veterans-program","tag-vetsuccess","tag-wicys","tag-women-in-cybersecurity","tag-zero-employment"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.palada.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17189","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.palada.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.palada.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.palada.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.palada.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=17189"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"http:\/\/www.palada.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17189\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.palada.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=17189"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.palada.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=17189"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.palada.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=17189"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}