Cybersecurity has become a critical issue for businesses and governments alike, as the number and sophistication of cyber threats continue to increase. This has created a growing demand for skilled professionals in the field, with a shortage of qualified workers to meet that demand. In the meantime, military veterans are leaving the military in large numbers and seeking new careers. These veterans possess a unique set of skills and experiences that make them well-suited for careers in cybersecurity.
This is not a guide to get into cybersecurity, simply a list of tools that I have personally used to help me on my journey. I understand that not everyone still has access to their GI Bill, so everything that I list will either be free or minimal cost. This will have something for everyone from the complete beginner, to the advanced professional looking to add a few more certs to your resume.
I know you read this in every article on this topic, but if you are completely new to this field your first stop should be Youtube. Cybersecurity is a vast field, and this will give you a general idea of what area you have interest in. Some of my got to channels include: The Cyber Mentor, Gerald Auger PhD – Simply Cyber, Professor Messer, David Bombal, Network Chuck, and John Hammond to name a few. These channels will give you a glance inside of the vast world of cybersecurity, so you can decide which direction you want to go.
Once you have decided what route you want to take head to the Federal Virtual Training Environment (FedVTE). FedVTE provides free online cybersecurity training to federal, state, local, tribal, and territorial government employees, federal contractors, and US military veterans. Some of the courses could stand to be updated, but it’s still a useful and free resource.
My next stop would be ACT NOW education. They offer a wealth of resources to veterans, to include access to O’Reilly media. I can’t express how useful of a resource this is. If you don’t take advantage of anything else on this list, access to modern books on chosen profession is invaluable.
Next on my list would be VatSec. Their mission is to create a world where no veteran pursuing a career in cybersecurity goes unemployed. They have partnerships with several companies to include Splunk, and CompTIA. They have a job board on their site with companies looking to hire veterans, and a large number of veterans in the industry willing to help you along your journey.
The Onward to Opportunity (O2O) is a free career training program that provides professional certification and employee support services to transitioning service members, veterans and military spouses. O2O combines industry-validated curricula, strong partnerships with leading veteran service organizations and private sector companies, and comprehensive career coaching services to prepare and match you with your next career. They offer several bootcamps, with a certification voucher upon completion of the bootcamp.
My last recommendation on this list is the only one that will cost you anything, but it won’t cost you up front. One of my Youtube recommendations (TheCyberMentor) owns TCM Security. His name is Heath Adams, and posts a lot of free content on his Youtube channel. You can get several hours of what is taught in his online courses for free on Youtube. If you find the content useful, you can then go to his training for a more in depth course.
These are all resources that I have personally used. I hope this helps a little with your journey.
Good luck,
CJ