IBM has announced a seven-figure investment in a series of education initiatives and collaborative efforts with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), Specialisterne Foundation, and six historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs) to provide no-cost STEM job training to U.S. military veterans, neurodivergent learners worldwide, and university students from underrepresented communities in the United States.

IBM SkillsBuild will be an enhanced resource for transitioning service members who are seeking job training and credentials through the VA, and the company also is working with the VA’s Veteran Employment Through Technology Education Courses (VET TEC) Employer Consortium to help veterans pursue customized learning paths and other accelerated, non-traditional job training for high-demand technology careers. In addition, IBM announced the first six of more than 20 Cybersecurity Leadership Centers at North Carolina A&T State University, Southern University System, Clark Atlanta University, Xavier University of Louisiana, Morgan State University, and South Carolina State University. Participating universities will have access to a customized, multiyear cybersecurity program with IBM, including cloud access and an immersive learning experience to expand HBCUs’ capacity to develop top talent in the cybersecurity sector.  

“We believe that the most promising job candidates for today’s demanding careers will come from communities that may have been historically overlooked or excluded due to outdated hiring policies and old-fashioned credentialling,” said Justina Nixon-Saintil, IBM's vice president for corporate social responsibility and ESG. “That’s why we’re uniting the public, private, and not-for-[profit] sectors to cultivate STEM talent from underrepresented communities to address the world’s most critical challenges.” 

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