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This story is published in cooperation with Willamette Week and Northwest Veterans in Technology.
Joshua Johnston served in the US Army for over seven years. But in 2016, it was time for him to make a career change. He was interested in pursuing something within the cybersecurity field, but struggled to land a job due to “lack of experience.”
The thing was, though, he did have relevant experience within the intelligence world—he just didn’t know how best to relay it to hiring teams. Especially considering that most of the people who interviewed him couldn’t relate to his experience of having served in the Army. So, Jonston turned to Northwest Veterans in Technology for help.
“I finally had a veteran interview me and they immediately got it,” says Johnston. “They helped guide me through the process and ended up helping me get my first security role here in Portland.” He moved with his partner and two blue heelers 7 years ago, bought a house in west Portland, and he’ll tell you he never wants to live anywhere else. It’s home - especially in the fall.
Now, as President of Northwest Veterans in Technology, Johnston gets to help other veterans do the very same thing.
As it turns out, Johnston’s experience was not entirely unique. According to him, veterans often tend to struggle with translating their military experience when attempting to advance their career, due to “how intrinsically different the civilian world is.”
That’s where NWVIT comes in. The nonprofit aims to create a community for veterans to thrive in, by helping them find and maintain employment and career growth in well-paying fields. NWVIT creates networking opportunities for veterans and family members who are looking for new jobs, introduces them to mentors who can assist them on their career journey, and offers resume workshops and scholarships for certifications and training.
“Shortly after completing [NWVIT’s Certification Grant Program], I was offered a 10% raise, in large part because I was able to achieve a critical certification completely independent from, and at no cost to, my employer,” says veteran Brian Benavidez. “It’s an invaluable resource for Oregon’s veterans.”
In addition to NWVIT’s various career preparedness resources, the nonprofit has also taken efforts to address inclusivity and access for women within the veteran community.
Dusti Kimmons says that the nonprofit’s online resume review helped her find her first cybersecurity position back in 2020. Despite parting ways due to Kimmon’s schedule, she reconnected with NWVIT only two years later. Now, Kimmons is the co-leader of NWVIT’s Vancouver chapter, where she co-hosts networking events.
“I missed the camaraderie. I really enjoy mentoring others in the job search, working on their Linkedin accounts, and finding resources for them,” says Kimmons. “This year I worked with the Oregon Department of Veterans Affairs (ODVA) to have NWVIT participate in Veteran Village at the Portland Pride Festival. I want to help more women and minorities get into tech.”
NWVIT is currently in the process of launching their third annual job fair event, called Compass, which focuses on hiring people from “groups that may not see the same representation in the tech field as they do the overall population, which includes veteran communities,” Johnston says.
This year’s Compass hiring event, held on November 9th at the University of Portland, will include a job fair, a keynote speaker, and a catered networking event. And because Compass is designed to serve the entirety of the tech community—NWVIT will be co-hosting with Portland Women in Technology, making it more than an exclusively “veterans”event.
“We believe that the tech workforce as a whole could use a lot more diversity, and we’re trying to be the change we want to see!” says Johnston. To learn more about Northwest Veterans in Technology, you can visit nwvit.org.