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Case study

Sourcing technical leaders to safeguard national security

The demand for cybersecurity and IT talent has never been greater, making technical recruitment a top priority for the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD). To find the best technical talent, the DoD partnered with Correlation One to execute innovative recruitment strategies that attract and assess cybersecurity, IT, and engineering professionals.
US DOD
Industry Defense
Headquarters Washington, DC
No. of employees 3.4M
Founded 1949

8,000+

technical professionals have so far applied to take part in the competitions

68%

expressed increased excitement about joining the DoD

77%

of attendees reported an improved understanding of Army career paths

Context

Finding skilled cybersecurity and IT personnel is no easy feat, as the demand for skilled professionals in these fields continues to skyrocket. Research by the International Information System Security Certification Consortium (ISC2) states that 67% of organizations have a shortage of cybersecurity professionals. This challenge is particularly pressing for the DoD due to its:

Status as the largest employer in the world
Vital role in protecting national security

The DoD employs 3.4M individuals under entities such as the:

U.S. Army Navy Marine Corps Air Force Space Force National Guard Coast Guard
Motif

Goals

Rather than relying on conventional recruitment tactics to enhance its technical workforce, the DoD partnered with Correlation One to launch innovative cybersecurity and IT recruitment strategies such as:

The Cyber Sentinel Skills Challenge: Cybersecurity competitions that engage InfoSec professionals and improve the DoD’s employer brand.
The U.S. Army Career Invitational: Career discovery competitions that identify, educate, and recruit skilled individuals for opportunities with the U.S. Army.

Through the launch of two recurring, virtual competitions Correlation One enables the DoD to:

Create a talent pipeline of qualified technical professionals.
Strengthen its employer brand in cybersecurity and IT.
Leverage untraditional recruitment tactics.
Evaluate and recruit candidates at scale.
AdobeStock_278714760 1 (1)

Secure the best technical talent

 

Find out how Correlation One's custom workforce development programs: 

  • Build a robust pipeline of skilled technical professionals.
  • Boost your employer brand to fill in-demand roles.
  • Identify, evaluate, and hire top talent quickly.

Building the future of defense: The two competitions behind the DoD’s workforce strategy

 

To acquire the best technical talent, the DoD partnered with Correlation One to develop and launch two virtual competition-based events focused on attracting skilled technologists.

 

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The Cyber Sentinel Skills Challenge

 

The Cyber Sentinel Skills Challenge was the first of the two series to launch, debuting in May 2024. The Cyber Sentinel is an online cybersecurity competition that:

Attracts and engages qualified industry professionals.
Educates the cybersecurity community about career opportunities with the DoD.
Evaluates participant skills and how they map to the hiring needs of the DoD.

 

The Cyber Sentinel Skills Challenge uses a Capture the Flag (CTF) format where participants solve security challenges to reveal concealed pieces of data known as "flags". Each competition features 20+ simulations based on real scenarios encountered by the DoD.

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The U.S. Army Career Invitational

The next competition event that the DoD launched with the support of Correlation One was the U.S. Army Career Invitational. Similar to the Cyber Sentinel Skills Challenge, the U.S. Army Career Invitational uses a competition framework to:

Create a talent pipeline of technical professionals who are ready to serve.
Assess participant skills against criteria from the Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery (ASVAB).
Strengthen its employer brand and showcase the employment benefits of joining the U.S. Army.

Each competition also includes:

An in-depth presentation for participants to learn about in-demand roles, job requirements, and career pathways with the DoD and the U.S. Army.
A raffle where competition participants can win their share of cash prizes.

Results

 

By partnering with Correlation One on career discovery competitions and skill challenges, the DoD strengthens its recruitment initiatives for key fields such as cybersecurity and IT. To date, the Cyber Sentinel Skills Challenge and U.S. Army Career Invitational have:

 
Established a talent pipeline of 8,000+ technical professionals
Increased understanding of career paths within the DoD
Generated excitement from candidates about joining the DoD
“My experience with the Army Career Invitational competition was a turning point in my decision to pursue a new career path that allows me to serve. It’s a great opportunity to gain insight into Army careers, connect with others, and expand your professional network.”
Vaugh R.
U.S. Army Career Invitational participant

What technical talent has to say

 
“To others considering entering future competitions, I strongly advise you to do so. I initially joined out of curiosity but left wanting to pursue a career in cybersecurity. I have the DoD Cyber Sentinel competition to thank for that!”
Chibueze A.
Cyber Sentinel Skills Challenge participant
“I entered the competition to test my cybersecurity skills and take another step towards my goal of contributing to national security. It gave me the opportunity to develop my skills and see what I needed to improve on for future challenges. I was also able to network with other professionals who share a passion for cybersecurity and gained valuable knowledge in techniques and resources along the way.”
Shawn R.
Cyber Sentinel Skills Challenge participant

Correlation One's Solution

 
Correlation One provides government bodies, such as the DoD, with custom workforce development programs that attract the technical talent needed to compete in the AI economy. The Cyber Sentinel Skills Challenge and U.S. Army Career Invitational achieve these objectives by focusing on:
Skills application: The competitions simulate real-world scenarios to highlight which participants have skill sets that align with the hiring needs of the DoD
Targeted recruitment: Competitions are promoted through key industry channels to ensure high candidate quality and technical proficiency
Employer branding: Each event includes a comprehensive presentation that educates participants on in-demand roles, qualification requirements, and long-term career pathways with the DoD

About Correlation One's solution

 

Correlation One provides government bodies, such as the DoD, with custom workforce development programs that attract the technical talent needed to compete in the AI economy. The Cyber Sentinel Skills Challenge and U.S. Army Career Invitational achieve these objectives by focusing on: 

  • Skills application: The competitions simulate real-world scenarios to highlight which participants have skill sets that align with the hiring needs of the DoD.
  • Targeted recruitment: Competitions are promoted through key industry channels to ensure high candidate quality and technical proficiency. 
  • Employer branding: Each event includes a comprehensive presentation that educates participants on in-demand roles, qualification requirements, and long-term career pathways with the DoD.
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