Pentagon closes cyber apprenticeship applications early after receiving over 15,000
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A Pentagon official told Nextgov/FCW that the agency is “rolling out additional apprenticeship positions over the next few weeks.”
The Pentagon prematurely closed the job listing for its new Cyber Registered Apprenticeship Program after receiving more than 15,000 applications, according to a Department of Defense official, although the agency is planning to announce additional opportunities in the coming weeks.
The 12-month apprenticeship is overseen by DOD’s Office of the Chief Information Officer, which announced that the application window for the program went live on July 6. Although applications for the first opportunity were slated to be accepted through July 17, the Pentagon ultimately moved up the end date to July 13.
The official said the number of interested applicants “demonstrates there is not only an immense interest in cyber careers but also a real need for the federal government to provide alternate pathways for individuals to learn hands-on cyber skills and join the cyber workforce.”
The Pentagon first announced the launch of the program in April and said the pilot would help fill relevant cyber vacancies across its operations by, in part, emphasizing skill-based hiring. That focus aligns with the Trump administration’s overall effort to prioritize job experience over academic backgrounds in the federal hiring process.
The now closed job posting for the apprenticeship highlighted this lower bar to entry by only requiring that candidates be over 18 years of age, are U.S. citizens and have the ability to obtain and maintain a government security clearance. The program is designed to train apprentices for entry-level DOD positions, including as cyber defense analysts, cyber defense infrastructure support specialists and cyber defense incident responders.
Even before the posting went live, however, the Pentagon reported overwhelming interest in the apprenticeship. Speaking at the SAP NOW summit in Washington, D.C., last month, DOD Chief Information Officer Kirsten Davies said the program had “already generated more than 70,000 inquiries,” even though it had not yet officially launched.
The Pentagon official told Nextgov/FCW on Thursday that opportunities to participate in the program will continue moving forward.
“As one of the nation’s largest employers of cyber talent, the [Pentagon] recognizes the critical need for cyber training and education, especially now that the digital domain is integral to our national defense,” they added. “We are rolling out additional apprenticeship positions over the next few weeks and encourage applicants to apply for open positions, which will be posted on USAJobs.gov.”