Cyber Security Training for Veterans: How can I Use the Skills I Already Have? Cybersecurity will receive critical focus in 2018. In fact, in May 2018, the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) will become “the law of the landâ€Â in Europe, and there will be numerous implications to U.S. businesses. GDPR will have a worldwide impact, and companies are scrambling to put the necessary processes in place to accommodate this cybersecurity incentive. Cybersecurity Shortage: Military Veterans May Solve the Problem The biggest data supervision problem today may be the critical lack of skilled personnel to manage cybersecurity. “With the right training and investment, hiring veterans can help with the huge challenge of closing the cyber security skills gap,â€Â says Army veteran Julian Meyrick, Vice President, IBM Security Europe. If you are active military or a veteran, you already have many of the qualities necessary for a successful career in cybersecurity. Military personnel have been trained to handle complex problems and situations and to remain calm during times of stress. Military service members also have the confidence to use what they know when it’s needed. The Advantages of Military Experience to Cybersecurity The common denominator in veterans’ skills and cybersecurity management is the ability to create and follow processes. Veterans understand process-driven solutions, and effective cybersecurity management depends on them. Another advantage veterans have is adaptability; when faced with a problematic situation in which known processes don’t work, cybersecurity professionals must quickly make the leap to Plan B, even if it’s not exactly a plan. Yet. As a trained military service member, you have the resilience to face threats without backing down. Let’s face it, when the going gets tough, some people crumble, but veterans keep going. Employers are beginning to realize that veterans bring value-added qualities to the workplace environment. It makes perfect business sense to hire veterans into roles from threat monitoring analyst to penetration tester, security operations center analyst and cyber operations manager. They come with relevant soft skills that are often difficult to interview for. -Julian Meyrick, Vice President, IBM Security Europe Careers in Cybersecurity for Veterans Your skills can lead you to an exciting career in cybersecurity. If you are active, reserve, retired, transitioning, or a veteran of the U.S. military, your opportunities could be abundant. Donald Greene, a 23-year veteran of the U.S. Air Force says the “severe talent shortageâ€Â in the cybersecurity industry is putting “our communities, economies, and nation at-risk,â€Â and veterans should explore their options in this field. A bachelor’s degree in a computer and information science or cyber security field can give you an advantage among the much sought-after professionals of data management and security. Some of the additional skills you’ll acquire include: Actively monitoring and defending networks Administering, managing, and troubleshooting hardware, software for single, mixed, and multiple-user environments Creating security policies and procedures for businesses/organizations Managing employees’ online/internet and network conduct Supervising companies’ penetration testing and submitting vulnerability reports Using cybersecurity to protect sensitive data There are many career paths for cybersecurity professionals, and organizations may use different titles or terms to describe the roles needed. Some of the positions can include: Information security analyst Information technology solutions provider Network administrator Network applications manager Network applications supervisor Network implementations professional Network infrastructure support professional (routing, server management, switching) Network security analyst Technical customer support (help desk) Technical support Best for Vets The Harry W. Colmery Veterans Education Assistance Act of 2017 (Forever GI Bill ®) was signed into law August 16, 2017. It made several changes to the GI Bill ®, including additional education and training benefits. The bill also makes it easier to locate universities and colleges that prioritize continuing education for our nation’s peacekeepers. For over 6 years, ECPI University has been nationally ranked Best for Vets by Military Times. With a hands-on educational style, and accelerated learning, ECPI University is the university of choice for many military service members. For more information on obtaining a Bachelor of Science in Computer and Information Science with a Major in Cyber and Network Security - Cybersecurity Track, take today to connect with a friendly admissions advisor at ECPI University. It could be the Best Decision You Ever Make! DISCLAIMER – ECPI University makes no claim, warranty, or guarantee as to actual employability or earning potential to current, past or future students or graduates of any educational program we offer. The ECPI University website is published for informational purposes only. Every effort is made to ensure the accuracy of information contained on the ECPI.edu domain; however, no warranty of accuracy is made. No contractual rights, either expressed or implied, are created by its content. Gainful Employment Information – Cybersecurity Track - Bachelor's For more information about ECPI University or any of our programs click here: http://www.ecpi.edu/ or http://ow.ly/Ca1ya.