Growing the Cybersecurity and IT Sectors

OVERVIEW

Based on global trends and West Virginia’s unique assets, there are “burning platform opportunities” for growth in the cyber, IT, big data and coding sectors that maximize the state's economic development potential. From national cyber defense service members to IT data center engineers to startup coders, employers in West Virginia say they want to hire more jobs in cyber sector today. The state doesn’t have to wait for “the jobs of the future” to fill open positions now. WV Forward and partners are leveraging opportunities that develop the STEM-trained workforce needed to fill and grow these sector jobs. In addition, efforts are ongoing to embolden and prepare youth to pursue cyber and IT careers, foster growth in cyber-related companies, recruit new IT centers to site locations and help secure West Virginia’s infrastructure assets through coordinated statewide efforts.