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Airman and Family Readiness Center, CyberUp join forces to give military spouses IT skills

  • Published
  • By Staff Reports
  • 375th Air Mobility Wing Public Affairs

The Scott Air Force Base Airman and Family Readiness Center teamed up with CyberUp to train 13 military spouses in information technology skills during an eight-week IT Fundamentals course that began in early March.

The course trains spouses the essential IT skills and knowledge needed to perform common tasks employed by advanced-end users and entry-level IT professionals while balancing social distancing challenges and family care.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the growth rate for jobs in information security is projected at 37 percent from 2012–2022, a faster rate than the average for all other occupations. Network security has become more critical than ever as industry has seen more instances of hacking using malware and ransomware to take advantage of the COVID-19 epidemic. The course gives military spouses a solid foundation for careers in coding, information technology and cybersecurity which can help close the nation’s talent gap in this area.

Military spouses are typically an underutilized workforce due to the obligations of their active duty spouses. Companies can be wary of investing in a military spouse and hire them because of the likelihood of leaving when their spouse is reassigned. However, these spouses bring to the table the grit, determination, and problem-solving skills that are often sought after in the IT/Cybersecurity career field. 
 
“Cybersecurity is a career field that is desperate for qualified, diverse, talent,” explained Amber Lowry, CyberUp’s Program Director. “Being a military spouse myself whose husband is now a retired Air Force veteran, I understand firsthand the struggles military spouses face in their careers especially when it comes to creating and maintaining a fulfilling career. This is why CyberUp is proud to give military spouses the tools they need to earn transferable, marketable, and stackable certifications. Military spouses won’t have to start all over in their careers when they pursue a career in cybersecurity.”
  
“From my standpoint, CyberUp and the Air Force Aid Society have provided a unique opportunity for military spouses to gain a portable skill that complements the mobile expectations they endure throughout a family’s service commitment,” said Sherwin Lockridge, Community Readiness Specialist for Scott AFB Airman & Readiness Center. “Their efforts in gaining their certifications will empower them to contribute to the labor force, create avenues for upward mobility as they gain experience, and ultimately bring additional financial stability to their respective family units.  This is important because through such training, military spouses can now work in high demand industries either in person or under telework conditions.”
 
The military spouses from this class will continue their training through CyberUp’s LevelUp pre-apprenticeship program to prepare them for a paid cybersecurity analyst registered apprenticeship program. 
 
To learn more about Cyberup, visit wecyberup.org