A few years ago, IBM committed to hiring 2000 U.S veterans over the next four years for its “new collar” tech jobs that do not require a traditional four-year degree, according to a press release on the IBM website. Other tech giants such as Dell, Hewlett-Packard Enterprise, and EMC also made pledges to hire thousands of veterans. If you are transitioning out of the military and like technology, you should consider a tech career. The tech industry is experiencing a shortage of skilled workers who can set goals, work well in a team, and are also problem solvers. And some Silicon Valley CEOs believe veterans could help plug this worker shortage.

Productivity and retention

Major tech companies are experiencing problems retaining employees because of the many opportunities that come with the booming tech industry. However, compared to other employees, studies show that veterans have higher productivity and retention rates, according to Randal Smith, national veterans’ employment manager at the Veterans Employment Training Service, under the Department of Labor. This is why tech companies are training veterans to become coders. But companies that create hardware and software technologies for security purposes are also keen on exploiting some skills veterans learned while they were still serving.

Defense in depth

Veterans understand defense in depth, meaning they know how to use several independent security countermeasures to protect the integrity of information assets. They know the importance of redundant systems and are skilled in using limited action to defend against attacks. It is this knowledge that the tech industry is hoping to tap into to improve cybersecurity systems and smart tech home security. Smart home security systems that are now emerging do not require professional installation. They may include cameras, window and door sensors, personal digital assistants, and smart devices. These are IoT systems because they communicate with each other via the internet.  It is an industry still looking for ways to secure networks that smart devices use to communicate in a smart home.

Working together for the same goal

Creating new security software, or just any software, requires teamwork and communication to succeed.  Veterans understand the importance of teamwork because, in the field, they had to work with their battle buddies to achieve complex and difficult objectives. The military also uses agile concepts when planning missions, which are concepts used for agile software development.  The concept involves creating small teams that work in parallel and breaking missions into smaller parts so that each team member knows what he or she should do to help the team achieve its mission.

Getting started

Vets with a background in practical computing and IT applications are more likely to land cybersecurity jobs immediately after they transition. If you have no experience or education in IT, you can join free coding schools like OperationCode and so on. Just identify a niche you like in the cybersecurity field, then find a mentor and start working on getting certification.

Visit our job board regularly to find companies with positions that offer veterans jobs, and follow our blog and social media profiles to get news of job fairs in your area.     

By Lucy Wyndham