Certification Program Puts Veteran IT Expertise to Work
by Bill Toti
Like many of you, I spent much of my adult life on active duty, and still have a special place in my heart for members of our military. This Memorial Day, and each and every day, we pay tribute to all the active duty service members, the veterans and their families for their service and sacrifice.
Many veterans bring with them valuable technology skills. In the coming months and years, employers will struggle to fill technology roles. In fact, according to the September 2012 IDG report “Train and Certify your way out of the IT Skills Gap”, more than 60% of IT executives reported that they found it extremely or very challenging to find enough qualified IT staff to design, deploy or manage cloud or converged infrastructure projects. That means there is a tremendous opportunity for veterans with IT experience. Businesses of all sizes have expressed an interest in hiring veterans, but struggle with how to map military skills to private sector job needs.
To help foster a connection between the two worlds, HP recently participated in the White House announcement of the new IT Training and Certification Partnership that will enable thousands of service members to earn industry-recognized information technology (IT) certifications before they transition from military service. The White House and military branches came together with Cisco, HP, Microsoft and a broad group of IT companies to expand the availability of civilian certifications to military personnel with skills in high-demand areas.
Through the HP ExpertOne Program, U.S. service members can earn industry-recognized certifications and achieve job-ready IT skills and hands-on experience through training. HP, an approved U.S. military services training provider, will be contributing web-based training and exam vouchers on Cloud or Converged Infrastructure administration to the IT Training and Credentialing Program. Additionally, HP ExpertOne will provide community memberships for the pilot population, giving service members access to free learning opportunities, personalized certification recommendations, and a global community of IT professionals and HP experts.
By mapping the IT skills gained during military service to the appropriate certification path we can help veterans get to an even playing field in the job market. By helping veterans we are also helping our customers and partners who will increasingly struggle to fill technology jobs. That’s good for veterans, good for the economy, AND good for business. It is also good for HP as we are committed to supporting and hiring veterans. We are proud to be ranked as the top Information Technology company on the G.I. Jobs 2013 Top 100 Military Friendly Employers® list. HP is also a member of the 100,000 Jobs Mission, the American Corporate Partners (ACP), Joining Forces and the NVTC Veteran Initiative.
For more information on HP’s involvement in the program, email timothy.flynn@hp.com or visit hp.com/ExpertOne for information on HP ExpertOne.
