Rethinking the Pipeline for Veterans Tech Talent

By Michelle Sims, CEO, YUPRO Placement

While there are sectors of the economy contracting, many employers still struggle to fill certain roles in areas such as cybersecurity, cloud computing, and even overall IT operations.  Shortages in these critical areas are more than just a hiring problem; many organizations face challenges ranging from growing digital risks to an aging workforce ready for retirement. For example, the Bureau of Labor Statistics projects that employment for information security analysts will grow 29 percent from 2024 to 2034, far faster than the average for all occupations. And the BLS estimates more than 300,000 openings per year across computer and IT occupations over the next decade, driven by both growth and replacement needs.

One solution lies in an often overlooked talent pool to fill these positions: veterans.  There are approximately 17.6 million veterans in the U.S. civilian population, with more than 8 million actively participating in the labor force. And this pool is not static. Each year, roughly 200,000 service members transition from active duty into civilian life, with many seeking their first post-military career opportunity. 

This is a reliable pool of talent with proven skills, some literally battle-tested. Still, many employers remain ill-equipped to tap into this talent. Hiring parameters are rigid, screening systems favor narrow credentials, and too often there is little support once a veteran is hired to increase retention and long-term success. Veterans represent a large and untapped source of talent, but accessing that talent successfully requires a different strategy than many employers currently use.

Why Veterans Are Well Suited for Technology Roles

Many veterans leave the military with direct exposure to technical environments, including information systems, network operations, cybersecurity, communications infrastructure, logistics technology, and systems maintenance.  In addition to these specific skills, veterans have operated in highly regulated settings where documentation, compliance, security protocols, and incident response are just part of a daily work routine. 

Equally important are the durable skills developed through military service. Research from the Institute for Veterans and Military Families identifies problem solving, adaptability, teamwork, and leadership as core competencies cultivated through military experience. 

The SHRM Foundation has similarly highlighted veterans’ strengths in leadership, reliability, and accountability, traits that correlate strongly with team performance and retention across industries.These are the same skills employers consistently cite as critical but difficult to assess using traditional hiring models.  

In tech niches like cybersecurity and cloud environments these attributes are not secondary. Security teams must assess risk quickly, collaborate under pressure, follow strict protocols, and respond effectively when systems fail. Technical expertise is essential, but it is rarely sufficient on its own.For some roles, particularly in regulated industries, veterans may also bring familiarity with security frameworks or existing security clearances that reduce onboarding friction. This advantage is not universal and should not be assumed, but in the right context it can be meaningful.

Cybersecurity Lights the Way

Cybersecurity often serves as the clearest illustration of the tech talent gap because the stakes are high and the demand is immediate. According to CyberSeek, U.S. employers have posted hundreds of thousands of cybersecurity job openings in recent reporting periods, far outpacing the number of candidates moving through traditional pipelines.

But challenges in filling ever evolving tech positions is not limited to cybersecurity. Cloud computing, infrastructure modernization, data operations, and legacy system support all face similar pressures. As I have shared previously, skills-based talent programs such as tech apprenticeships are helping build more resilient, adaptable workforce. 

Veterans appear to be an ideal source of talent to leverage these programs. They often possess the underlying capabilities employers need and the aptitude to learn new technical skills quickly. What they frequently lack are civilian credentials or linear career paths, and hiring systems are still built to favor or even require those markers.

Why Good Intentions Alone Often Fall Short

In response, many organizations encourage managers to “hire more veterans,” appealing to good intentions and patriotism. This approach often fails because it treats veterans as plug-and-play replacements rather than high-potential team members navigating a complex career transition.

For example, research from the National Institute of Standards and Technology noted that veterans transitioning into cybersecurity roles often face challenges not because of technical gaps, but because employers lack frameworks to interpret and integrate military experience into civilian technology environments. 

Military experience does not translate automatically into civilian hiring systems. Decades-old matching methods using outdated applicant tracking systems that rely on past job titles and formal education assumptions often fall short.  Not to mention resumés filled with military acronyms struggle to pass applicant tracking software. And because job descriptions prioritize specific civilian titles or degrees, versus skills needed to succeed in a job, hiring managers must make inferences on skills between military and civilian experience, which creates mismatch and bias in hiring. 

Also, in today’s labor market, many jobs are secured through one’s professional and social network that veterans may lack. So, it’s no surprise our veterans are continually overlooked and a hiring process that goes beyond good intentions is essential for our workforce to embrace veterans.

Also, well-intentioned veteran job training and credential programs can fall short in connecting veterans with an employer network that embraces veteran hiring. And even once hired, without early support, skilled hires can struggle to navigate unfamiliar workplace norms, expectations, and communication styles.

What a Veteran-Ready Technology Pipeline Requires

Successfully tapping into veteran talent requires more than changes to recruiting language. It requires rethinking the pipeline itself.

For example, at YUPRO Placement, we help veterans translate their military experience into technical and durable skills that connect with employers who value their service. That translation is only the first step. On-assignment coaching and wraparound support are what ensure veterans do not just land jobs in the digital economy, but build lasting careers within it. In fact, we recently launched a partnership with SkillStorm that provides U.S. military veterans with no-cost career services and direct access to high-demand tech employment opportunities.  The initiative combines SkillStorm’s industry-aligned training with YUPRO Placement’s jobseeker workshops and nationwide skill-based forward employer network, creating a pathway for veterans to transition into the civilian workforce.

The Opportunity in Front of Employers

In the end, we need to redefine how we think about veterans and the tech talent pipeline. Veterans are not a niche workforce. They represent millions of capable professionals and a steady flow of skilled talent entering civilian life. Their skills align closely with the demands of modern technology roles. The missing piece is not motivation or ability; it is creating a process that recognizes the skills veterans have and giving them the tools and resources to succeed.

Veterans are ready. The question is whether employers are ready to meet them with hiring systems built for the realities of today’s workforce. The tech talent gap will not be solved by searching harder for the same candidates in the same places. It will be solved by building systems capable of recognizing and developing the talent that already exists.