The Department of War has opened applications for a new paid cyber apprenticeship program.

Applications are due by July 17 for the training program, which is designed to prepare the next generation of civilian cybersecurity specialists.

The 12-month Cyber Apprenticeship Program is open to U.S. citizens at least 18 years old who can qualify for a Secret security clearance. No previous professional cybersecurity experience is required.

"To maintain our decisive advantage and support the warfighter on the modern battlefield, the Department of War must recruit differently," Chief Information Officer Kirsten Davies said.

"President Trump and Department of War Secretary Hegseth have issued a clear mandate to advance skills-based hiring," Davies said. "This program bypasses traditional academic gatekeeping to value what truly matters: raw aptitude, patriotic drive, and hands-on capability over traditional academic credentials."

The department said apprentices will receive online instruction, hands-on laboratory training, and on-the-job mentoring.

Those who complete the program can earn industry certifications and move into civilian cyber positions, including cyber defense analysts and incident responders.

The program includes two training tracks. The Technical Specialist pathway does not require a college degree, while the Defense Manpower Data Center pathway requires an accredited degree because of the agency's hiring standards.

The apprenticeship program comes as the Pentagon continues reorganizing how it develops and retains cyber personnel through its CYBERCOM 2.0 initiative.

GovCIO Media reported that Assistant War Secretary for Cyber Policy Katie Sutton said the military is building a force with the technical expertise needed to counter increasingly sophisticated cyber threats.

"Our current force generation approach, while effective for conventional forces, has been inadequate for the unique requirements of building the deep technical skills we need in cyberspace," Sutton said. "It's too slow, too fragmented and hinders our ability to adapt at speed and scale."

Sutton said cyber operations are becoming part of every military mission as adversaries develop increasingly advanced capabilities, including using artificial intelligence to increase the speed and sophistication of attacks.

"We're creating career tracks that allow our best operators to continue to hone their craft for years, becoming true masters of the domain without having to hang out their keyboards to get promoted," Sutton said.

The new apprenticeship program is intended to expand the cyber workforce as the military develops personnel capable of protecting Defense Department networks and supporting future cyber operations.

Iran has invested heavily in offensive cyber capabilities while cultivating ties to hacking groups.

In recent years, groups working for Tehran have infiltrated the email system of President Donald Trump's campaign, targeted U.S. water plants and tried to breach the networks used by the military and defense contractors.