RapidAscent 2024 Fort Bliss Transition Expo
Supporting Military Transitions
Highlights from the Fort Bliss Annual Transition Expo
On May 23rd 2024, RapidAscent proudly participated in the Fort Bliss Annual Transition Expo, an inspiring event dedicated to supporting our nation’s heroes as they transition to meaningful civilian careers. This year’s expo was a resounding success, with over 130 esteemed organizations and more than 2,000 attendees, including service members, veterans, family members, and civilians, all eager to explore new career opportunities.
Our comprehensive programs, combined with additional services like resume assistance, interview coaching, career guidance, and LinkedIn optimization, ensure that our students are well-prepared for successful careers.
Participation in the Fort Bliss Annual Transition Expo underscores our unwavering commitment to empowering individuals to achieve their career transition goals to cybersecurity, networking, and IT.
One of RapidAscent’s key advantages is our status as a DoD SkillBridge-approved company. This program allows eligible service members to gain valuable civilian work experience through industry training, apprenticeships, and internships during their last 180 days of service. By partnering with SkillBridge, we help bridge the gap between military and civilian careers, ensuring a smooth transition for our heroes.
A special thank you to George Aaron and the Transition Assistance Program (TAP) team at Fort Bliss for their exceptional organization and commitment to providing top-notch resources for transitioning service members. We also extend our gratitude to Dr. Chaunte Hall, CEO of Centurion Military Alliance, for her leadership and vision in driving positive change within the military community.
The Fort Bliss Annual Transition Expo was more than just an event—it was a testament to the power of community, opportunity, and hope. RapidAscent was thrilled to showcase our unique approach to cybersecurity training, designed to equip individuals without a cyber background with the skills needed to excel in this dynamic field.
For a more detailed description of this event, visit our partner Vets2Industry (V2I), who co-boothed with RapidAscent. Their dedication to assisting transitioning service members and veterans is invaluable, and we encourage you to take advantage of their resources.
At RapidAscent, we remain committed to providing top-tier cybersecurity training and career support, ensuring our nation’s heroes secure fulfilling and successful civilian careers. Together with our partners, we can make a difference, one transition at a time.
RapidAscent Sponsored Cybersecurity Speed Mentoring Night
Recapping a Night of Connection: The RapidAscent Speed Networking Event
Last week, the local military community and civilians experienced a unique blend of rapid conversation and relaxed socializing at the much-anticipated Speed Networking event sponsored by RapidAscent. As promised, the gathering delivered an engaging platform for career-oriented individuals within the military sphere, and the atmosphere buzzed with potential from start to finish.
The evening kicked off with the energy and pace of a sprint as attendees engaged in brisk 5-10 minute conversations, designed to ignite connections and introduce a plethora of opportunities within a compact timeframe. Participants, ranging from those starting new careers to seasoned professionals, capitalized on these quick-fire sessions to exchange stories, ambitions, and business cards.
As the hour waned, the structured networking seamlessly transitioned into a happy hour. This change of pace provided the perfect backdrop for more in-depth discussions. Here, under the softer lights and over casual conversations, the seeds planted during the speed networking began to take root.
One of the highlights of the event was the presence of employees from various major corporations, federal sectors, and leading non-profits, all of whom brought with them a wealth of knowledge and the prospect of considerable career opportunities for attendees. The presence of such passionate cybersecurity professionals underscored the event’s significance as a nexus for networking within the military and civilian community.
Moreover, the atmosphere was supercharged with excitement when RapidAscent announced the giveaway of Raspberry Pi door prizes. These miniature yet powerful computers were not just gadgets but symbols of the innovation and forward-thinking attitudes that RapidAscent embodies. The lucky winners went home with not just a tool for tech exploration but a tangible memory of an inspiring evening.
The event did not just facilitate connections; it celebrated the vibrant and diverse Colorado Springs community, which includes active duty military, military spouses, Veterans, and Civulians. This offered a space where shared experiences and common goals created an immediate sense of camaraderie. It was evident that every participant left with more than they came with – whether that was a new contact, a job lead, an unexpected friend, or even a Raspberry Pi.
As we wrap up our look back at the RapidAscent Speed Networking event, we extend a heartfelt thanks to everyone who participated. The success of the night was made possible by your enthusiasm and engagement. For those who couldn’t make it, we missed you. However, we have another event scheduled for Nov 30th, 2023 in conjunction with ISSA and we are sponsoring it along with Cleared Careers, LogRhthym, and a large number of participating companies that are interested in hiring—given the success of this event, there’s no doubt that there will be more opportunities to connect and grow in the future.
Keep an eye on our blog for updates and upcoming events. Until next time, keep networking, keep connecting, and keep ascending!
Financial Services Targeted, Work from Home to be Blamed
The cybersecurity posture of organizations was put to test with the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. The financial sector has been constantly targeted by cybercriminals and the trend continues. According to a recent report, attackers targeted security gaps at firms in the financial services sector as the majority of the workforce had to shift to work from home.
Blame work from home
The report, published by the international Financial Security Board (FSB), states that work from home conditions accelerated the adoption of new technologies and reliance on third-party service providers. As a result of the pandemic, financial services moved to rapid digitalization.
- Complete reliance on VPNs and unsecured WiFi access points brought forth new obstacles in the form of patching and other cyber issues.
- Phishing, ransomware, and malware attacks witnessed a rise from 5,000 per week in February 2020 to 200,000 per week in late April 2021.
Why it matters
The report, published by the international Financial Security Board (FSB), states that work from home conditions accelerated the adoption of new technologies and reliance on third-party service providers. As a result of the pandemic, financial services moved to rapid digitalization.
- Reliance on a handful of third parties can lead to a single failure point with possible adverse outcomes for financial firms. Moreover, this concentration risk has reportedly increased during the pandemic era.
- In addition to this, accessing and auditing information from these providers create obstacles for financial institutions in managing these risks.
What else?
Remote working condition is not the only threat badgering the financial sector.
- Social engineering fraud is one of the paramount concerns for the sector, of which BEC scams are the most common exploits.
- The scam enables the fraudulent transfer of funds. Small- and medium-sized businesses are the most vulnerable to these attacks.
The bottom line
The current times call for financial services firms to modify their cyber risk management mechanisms, incident response and recovery activities, and management of cloud and third-party services. While the rapid move to new technologies has improved their operational resiliency, there is a lot of room for improving cyber resilience.
