Acronis Spin-Off Provides Free Training and Certification to U.S. Veterans and Families

Here's an interesting item, straight from the "Military Jobs" pages of Military.com, an online publication that targets both veterans and active-duty U.S. military personnel. It seems that multi-national backup and security technology firm Acronis has a U.S. spin-off that focuses on work for government and public sector entities, including the U.S. military.

It's called Acronis SCS, an "American cyber protection and edge data security company exclusively dedicated to meeting the unique requirements of the U.S. public sector" This organization's sole focus is the U.S. public sector, for which it creates "tailored, tested, and trusted solutions purpose built with the public sector in mind."

Ordinarily, I'd breeze right past such stuff. What caught my eye here, however, is that the program is set up to provide anywhere from 6 to 18 months of free training at accredited training providers for IT certifications that include CompTIA A+, Network+, Security+ and CySA+, Microsoft Windows 10 credentials, and AWS cloud certifications.

The menu of training options also embraces the Acronis ACE, which covers Arconis Backup and Acronis Backup Cloud. Accredited institutions include community colleges all over the United States, along with multiple online training outlets — a preferred vehicle for many (if not most) during this time of pandemic.

Who's Eligible?

According to the Acronis SCSVets home page, veterans (by which they mean former military personnel, honorably discharged from the service) and military families (which means spouses and offspring of either active-duty or former military personnel) are eligible to participate in this program.

As with other veteran/military family programs, the offering includes not just training and certification, it also includes job-readiness training with an emphasis on useful soft skills, social support, and job placement for program graduates. Interested parties will want to check out the company's Acronis SCSVets Applicant Inquiry Form.

What's in It for Them?

One must understand these programs as a special kind of enlightened self-interest. Sure, there's a definite social benefit in helping ex-military personnel and their families find their way into interesting, meaningful, and decent-paying IT careers. There's also the desire to help address an increasing shortfall in supply of properly trained, workplace-ready workers.

And it's a canny move, because military personnel are constantly in training while on active duty (even reservists must participate in at least 30 days of paid training every year to remain active in reserve forces). These people know how to make the most of training, and they instinctively understand the training and certification drill because they must constantly train for and acquire competencies throughout their service careers.

That makes ex-military individuals unusually well-suited to partake of and participate in training and certification in general. But my question really boils down to "What do the program sponsors get out of creating and funding programs like Acronis SCSVets?"

The one-word answer is "cherrypicking." In observing other, similar programs from companies like Microsoft, Cisco, SANS, and others, I've found mentions of how these sponsors routinely hire program graduates as part of their job placement efforts. You can bet your bottom dollar that they're targeting the best and brightest who go through their programs, because sponsors always need more qualified IT and professional staff, as all companies do.

By sponsoring such programs, companies get the inside track on recruiting top-notch staff for their own hiring needs. That's why I call it an act of "enlightened self-interest," not to mention the good will and likely tax breaks that also come from such programs.

If you are a vet, or know somebody who's planning a transition from active duty back to civilian life, then these offerings are worth mentioning (or digging into). While you're at it, check out this web page at MilitaryBenefits.info "Free IT Certfication for Veterans."

It's nice that IT companies and organizations seek to serve those who have served our country. It's a welcome and tangible expression of gratitude and appreciation, and one worth taking up.