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Mapping out Cyber and IT Careers for Youth
OVERVIEW
There are multiple pathways to good-paying jobs in the cybersecurity, coding and IT fields in West Virginia today, and the industry continues to grow. For those high school or college students and young professionals who are interested in pursuing a career in one of these fields, WV Forward and partners have produced a guide to map out potential jobs and help navigate through the security clearance process. The guide offers tips and tricks to pursue successful West Virginia careers and outlines disqualifying factors that could potentially derail a security clearance or job opportunity. There are flexible, stackable job options and training opportunities across the Mountain State. Search through options below!
In demand cyber jobs span diverse job sectors.
Cyber-related fields include national defense, digital forensics, coding, cloud development, quantum computing, blockchain development, cryptography, artificial intelligence, big data analytics, commercial data security, industrial infrastructure security, business management, software engineering and more. Some cyber jobs require more technical skills while others require more business skills. All of these types of jobs are in demand in West Virginia and around the world.
How can I prepare for cyber, coding or IT jobs?
Multiple career paths
- There are more than 1,100 open computing jobs in West Virginia, four times the average number of job openings in any other field. (Department of Labor).
- The average West Virginia salary is $40,250, whereas the average West Virginia computing occupation salary is $71,150. (Code.org).
Job sector diversity
- Cyber, IT and coding jobs are in abundance across many industries, from government and healthcare, to oil and gas, and manufacturing and business.
- Fields of study include cybersecurity, computer science, mathematics, physics, electronics, engineering or business technology management.
Stretch your skills
- Coding language use evolves over time. The ten most used languages on GitHub currently are Javascript, Java, Python, PHP, C++, C#, Typescript, Shell, C and Ruby.
Additional resources
- NICE – National Initiative for Cybersecurity Education
- Cyber Seek – cyber jobs heat map
- CyberPatriots
- GenCyber Camps
- The Cyber Security LAB PBS
- Cyber Start ‐ SANS
- WV Robotics Alliance
Security clearances
Background checks
- A security clearance is necessary for some cyber jobs that involve working with classified or secret government materials.
- Employers pay for clearances, which take months to complete and include family and friend interviews and criminal and financial background checks.
The military path
- Armed service members can earn a clearance while enlisted. One may never have thought that a daily jog could help land a job, but fitness is key to military admission and earning a security clearance via this path.
Clearance tips
Be aware, some potential hurdles to securing a security clearance include social media missteps, illegal use of drugs, uncontrolled debts or bounced checks and various other crimes or fraud.
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TIP #1: Fitness
A primary barrier young people face going down the military path ta clearance is obesity or poor fitness. Those interested in coding or tech may never have thought that a daily jog may help them land a job, but being fit is key to military admission. So if you plan to go down this road and you don’t want fitness to be an obstacle for you, take a lap. -
TIP #2: Social media missteps
Social media accounts are another danger zone for potential security clearance applicants. They can sometimes show evidence of disqualifying behavior. -
TIP #3: Illegal use of drugs
It is important to security clearance investigators that those who are cleared consistently follow the law, including avoiding the illegal use of drugs. -
TIP #4: uncontrolled debts or bounced checks
Being in a financially vulnerable situation or engaging in risky financial behaviors can make a cleared individual the target of spies. -
TIP #5: various crimes or fraud
It is also important to security clearance investigators that those who are cleared consistently tell the truth in the investigative process and in their professional life.
Where are WV Cyber Jobs and Training Programs?
2-4 Year Cyber Training Programs
- Alderson Broaddus
- Bethany College
- Blue Ridge CTC
- Bluefield State College
- BridgeValley CTC
- Eastern CTC
- Fairmont State University
- Marshall University computer science program
- Marshall University Forensic Sciences program
- MountWest CTC
- New River Community & Technical College
- Pierpont Community & Technical College
- University of Charleston
- Valley College
- West Virginia University cybersecurity program
- WV Northern Community College
- WVU Business Cybersecurity Management Program
- WVU-P
- WVU-Tech
Cyber Jobs
Bridgeport
Buckhannon
Charleston
Clarksburg
- 6k Systems
- BAE Systems
- General Dynamics IT
- ManTech International Corporation
- Northrop Grumman
- TAD PGS
- Xcelerate Solutions
Eleanor
Fairmont
- Agile5 Technologies
- Electronic Warfare Associates, Inc
- FBI CJIS
- General Dynamics IT
- Government Tactical Solutions
- GST
- KeyLogic
- Leidos
- ManTech International Corporation
- NASA IV&V
- National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
- National White Collar Crime Center
- Northrop Grumman
- Spectrum
- Syneren Technologies
- TMC Technologies
- US Department of Commerce
- Xor Security
Falling Waters
Green Bank
Huntington
Kearneysville
Kingwood
Martinsburg
- Blackwatch International
- Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, & Firearms National Tracing Center
- Federal Data Systems
- Salient CRGT
- Sentar
- WV National Guard
Morgantown
- Advantage Technology
- Azimuth
- KeyLogic
- Leidos
- Lockheed Martin
- NETL
Parkersburg
Rocket Center
Shepherdstown
Summit Point
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