Lockheed Martin Engages with White House Office of the National Cyber Director to Address Cyber Workforce Needs
Amidst a series of high-profile cybersecurity breaches in recent years, the need to bolster our nation's digital defenses has never been more urgent. However, we are confronted with a daunting reality- a staggering 500,000 unfilled cybersecurity positions.
At the epicenter for cybersecurity defense and policy, leaders from across government, industry and advocacy organizations gathered in Washington D.C. at the “Good-Paying Cyber Jobs for Veterans and Military Spouses” workshop to address a critical national issue: the cybersecurity gap.
Hosted by the White House Office of the National Cyber Director, the event zeroed in on the scarcity of skilled cybersecurity professionals. It underscored the pressing need for immediate government-industry collaboration to enhance recruitment and development, with a particular focus on the military community as a rich source of talent.
Lockheed Martin highlighted its commitment to addressing this unique challenge and working across sectors to create meaningful pathways to cybersecurity employment for veterans, transitioning service members and military spouses.
Key Opportunities and Challenges:
- Skills-based hiring: Many service members spend years acquiring valuable skills through on-the-job training and practical experience, often in some of the most consequential cyber environments in the world. It is essential to create more efficient pathways to veteran job opportunities by recognizing the talents and skills veterans bring from their hands-on experience and their proven ability to perform with excellence in demanding environments.
- Security Clearance: Military members can work on a program with a security clearance as a uniformed servicemember, but the day they out-process from the military, their security clearance on that program is no longer valid. Or, due to contract clearance requirements, such as a full-scope polygraph, certain programs are not able to utilize the SkillBridge and Hiring Our Heroes programs. It’s critical to develop a process that fast-tracks a transitioning service member or veteran’s clearance and puts them back in the seat of their career.
- Flexible Work Arrangements in Cyber Programs: Military spouses face frequent moves that often take them away from typical office locations. This hinders spouses from developing careers with an upward trajectory and creates the need for additional hiring efforts once the spouse moves. How do we expand our remote work capabilities, even in classified programs, to create more pathways to long-term and transferable employment?
Lockheed Martin Filling the Gap
- Skills-based hiring: Many service members spend years acquiring valuable skills through on-the-job training and practical experience, often in some of the most consequential cyber environments in the world. It is essential to create more efficient pathways to veteran job opportunities by recognizing the talents and skills veterans bring from their hands-on experience and their proven ability to perform with excellence in demanding environments.
- Security Clearance: Military members can work on a program with a security clearance as a uniformed servicemember, but the day they out-process from the military, their security clearance on that program is no longer valid. Or, due to contract clearance requirements, such as a full-scope polygraph, certain programs are not able to utilize the SkillBridge and Hiring Our Heroes programs. It’s critical to develop a process that fast-tracks a transitioning service member or veteran’s clearance and puts them back in the seat of their career.
- Flexible Work Arrangements in Cyber Programs: Military spouses face frequent moves that often take them away from typical office locations. This hinders spouses from developing careers with an upward trajectory and creates the need for additional hiring efforts once the spouse moves. How do we expand our remote work capabilities, even in classified programs, to create more pathways to long-term and transferable employment?
Looking Ahead
The ONCD event marked a significant step forward in addressing the cybersecurity workforce gap by highlighting the invaluable contributions of veterans and military spouses and setting a collaborative path ahead for future initiatives. As the nation grapples with an ever-evolving cyber threat landscape, Lockheed Martin is proud to pave the way through partnerships across government, industry and advocacy groups.
The work we do now and what we are moving towards in the future will play a crucial role in fortifying America’s cyber defenses and ensuring that we have the most skilled and qualified personnel in these roles to tackle the cyber challenges of the 21st century. Lockheed Martin knows that our military community is vital to that vision.
If you’re a retiring or transitioning service member, a veteran or a military spouse, explore our Military Relations Resources and reach out to a Military Relations Manager today!