Why abilIT?
For more than 55 years, Melwood has been an industry leader training and employing people of differing abilities. Our new abilIT program consists of soft skills training along with technical instruction followed by job search assistance, placement, and on-the-job coaching. After completion of the course, the students will be prepared to sit for A+ certification, Network+ certification, and Security+ certification which can lead to entry-level jobs in cybersecurity. Click here for AbilIT Recruitment flyer.
A Growing Demand in Cybersecurity
The US is experiencing unprecedented growth in the cybersecurity industry and demand for entry level staff has never been higher. Today, there are approximately 350,000 unfilled positions in the cybersecurity1 industry and as demand continues to exceed the supply of available workers, the United States is on pace to hit a half million or more unfilled cybersecurity positions by 2021.
abilIT Admission Eligibility
Person of differing abilities with either:
High school diploma, GED, or equivalent
TABE cut scores (minimum):
Upon completion, participants will have gained:
The skills to compete for entry-level Network Operations Center (NOC) or Security Operations Center (SOC) Analyst positions.
The ability to sit for A+, Network+, and Security+ certifications. This drives abilIT’s six-month timeline.
The soft skills necessary to land a job and work effectively as part of a project team.
Encouraging Employers to Embrace Neurodiversity
As part of this program, we will be continuing to engage employers in order to educate them on neurodiversity. Our “Melwood Challenge” campaign challenges businesses to think outside the box and see our workers as a potential workforce solution. Our goal is to scale the abilIT program with the help of philanthropic and corporate support so we can provide a reliable pipeline of workers in this high-demand industry.
Industry Partners
Melwood partnered with industry leaders like Cybrary, the creator of the largest massive open online course (MOOC) in the cybersecurity arena to provide the technical training. "Cybrary is proud to team up with Melwood for the abilIT program. Our platform empowers individuals of all abilities and phases of their lives to 'skill-up' and better their position in the workforce. Participants gain entry-level IT expertise and self-assessment tools as they get ready to enter the cyber-security job market,” says Cybrary CEO Ralph Sita.
For more Information:
Telephone: 301-599-8000
E-mail: abilIT@melwood.org