What Industry Workforce Solutions, Inc. does

Industry Workforce Solutions, Inc. (IWS) is a privately held, WOSB- and MBE-certified cybersecurity consulting firm headquartered in Crown Point, Indiana, founded in 2020 by Doreen Gonzalez-Gaboyan. The company's core offering is the CyberReady® framework, a structured readiness methodology aligned with NIST 800-171, CMMC Levels 1 and 2, and ISO standards, delivered through several program variants: CyberReadyMBE® (a free five-week virtual training program for NMSDC-certified minority business enterprises covering 17 cybersecurity controls), the CyberReady Resilience Program (a fee-based six-week instructor-led course priced at $6,000 per participant), and CyberReady 2.0 (a NIST NICE RAMPS-funded program targeting Northwest Indiana manufacturers). Service lines extend the framework into Cybersecurity Services, Workforce Development, Community Engagement, Supply Chain Diversity, Strategic Roadmapping, and Grant Writing.

The underlying technology is principally a compliance methodology, content library, and consortium model rather than a software platform: IWS does not expose a public API, has no disclosed AI/ML components, and the IP is anchored in registered trademarks (CyberReady®, CyberReadyMBE®, CyberReady 2.0), a published book, and a curriculum aligned with federal standards. The company monetizes through fee-based training cohorts, consulting engagements, and grant-funded program delivery, while leveraging NMSDC's 23 regional councils to reach 15,000+ certified MBEs and corporate sponsors (GE, Bank of America, Truist) for credibility and demand generation. Government and academic partners (NAVSEA Crane Division, NIST, Purdue University) provide standards alignment and validation. Cumulative outcomes cited include 1,000+ companies helped and 550+ MBEs enrolled in the first CyberReadyMBE cohort.

Name

Industry Workforce Solutions, Inc.

Legal name

Industry Workforce Solutions, Inc.

Website

https://industryworkforcesolutions.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2020

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Industry Workforce Solutions is a WOSB/MBE-certified cybersecurity consulting firm that delivers CMMC, NIST, and ISO compliance training and workforce development to small and mid-sized businesses, minority business enterprises, and manufacturers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Cybersecurity Compliance Consulting & Workforce Development

NAICS

Computer Training (611420), Management Consulting Services (54161)

SIC

Services-Management Consulting Services (8742)

akta.pro primary industry

Custom Corporate IT Training & Upskilling Programs (BPAEANAB)

akta.pro secondary industry

Infrastructure, Networking & Systems Administration Training (BPAEANAJ)

Keywords

• Cybersecurity consulting services
• CMMC compliance readiness
• Workforce development training
• Supply chain resilience
• NIST compliance consulting

Headquarters

HQ city

Crown Point

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. CyberReady Resilience Program Training: 6-week online self-paced course with instructor-led weekly sessions. Registration fee of $6,000 per participant. Includes virtual training, gap assessment options, and CyberReady designation upon completion.
2. Consulting Services: Cybersecurity consulting services including compliance assessments, policy creation, technical remediation, and ongoing IT support. Services are tailored to individual organizational needs.
3. Grant Writing Services: Professional grant writing services for organizations seeking funding for cybersecurity, community engagement, and workforce development initiatives.
4. Government-Funded Programs: CyberReady 2.0 is supported through a NIST NICE RAMPS award. Initial participation including executive-level sessions and structured cybersecurity assessment is provided at no cost to selected companies through federal support.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

Industry Workforce Solutions, Inc. is a consulting firm that delivers cybersecurity readiness, compliance, and workforce development services to small and mid-sized businesses operating in U.S. supply chains. Its core offering is the proprietary CyberReady® framework, which is delivered through structured programs (CyberReadyMBE®, CyberReady Resilience Program, CyberReady® 2.0) and consulting services covering NIST, CMMC, and ISO compliance, gap assessments, policy creation, technical remediation, and training aligned to DoD contracting requirements.

Product overview

Industry Workforce Solutions, Inc. offers a portfolio of cybersecurity readiness programs anchored by its flagship CyberReady® framework, including CyberReady® 2.0 (an updated structured pathway for small and mid-sized manufacturers), CyberReadyMBE® (a five-week training program for minority business enterprises), and the CyberReady Resilience Program (a 6-week instructor-led course). These core programs are supplemented by professional services including Cybersecurity Services (delivering the CyberReady Maturity Approach through assessment, policy creation, and remediation), Workforce Development, Community Engagement and Outreach, Supply Chain Diversity, Expert Lecture Series, Grant Writing, Strategic Roadmapping, and Cybersecurity Solutions Across Domains. The company serves critical industries including steel, manufacturing, energy, oil & gas, logistics, and government contracting sectors.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• CyberReady®: Flagship cybersecurity readiness program designed for small and mid-sized businesses, providing pathways to achieve Department of Defense compliance standards and CMMC certification. Includes CyberReady 2.0, CyberReadyMBE, and CyberReady Resilience Program variants.
• CyberReadyMBE®
• CyberReady Consortium

Products and services

• CyberReady® 2.0 A structured cybersecurity readiness framework aligned to NIST NICE and the NIST Workforce Framework, designed for small and mid-sized manufacturers and industrial suppliers to strengthen cybersecurity posture through assessments, workforce training, and compliance alignment with CMMC and NIST 800-171.
• CyberReadyMBE® Program A five-week virtual training program specifically designed for minority business enterprises (MBEs) certified through NMSDC, providing pathways to increase cyber capabilities through 17 cybersecurity controls aligned with CMMC Level 1 requirements and earning the CyberReadyMBE designation recognized by NMSDC's 2,000+ corporate members.
• CyberReady Resilience Program A 6-week online, self-paced course with instructor-led weekly sessions focused on achieving CMMC Level 1 readiness for government contracting, featuring gap assessments, implementation roadmaps, and a CyberReady designation upon completion.
• Cybersecurity Services End-to-end cybersecurity compliance services including assessment, policy creation, technical remediation, and ongoing IT support, delivered through the CyberReady Maturity Approach—a structured nine-step process from initial consultation through ongoing monitoring to help businesses meet NIST, CMMC, and ISO standards.
• Workforce Development Expert assistance in refining or creating workforce plans aligned with organizational goals, including talent needs identification, training framework establishment, and certification pathways to ensure the right mix of talent and technologies.
• Community Engagement and Outreach Programs Strategic initiatives aiding clients in cultivating digital resilience through roundtables, surveys, and strategic planning; offerings include stakeholder engagement, roadmap strategy sessions, outreach programming, recruiting and onboarding support, and consortium development.
• Supply Chain Diversity Services helping clients identify and cultivate diverse suppliers through gap assessment protocols, tailored training, and targeted remediation especially in cybersecurity to meet procurement and security protocol requirements.
• Expert Lecture Series Thought leadership and educational lectures covering topics including Cybersecurity 101, Cybersecurity for Small Business, Establishing Cyber Standards, Leadership Agility, and Team Building for improved operational efficiencies.
• Grant Writing Professional grant writing services to secure funding for cybersecurity, community engagement, and workforce development initiatives, ensuring financial support aligned with funder priorities.
• Strategic Roadmapping Facilitation of alignment between organizational vision, resources, and objectives through defining goals, conducting analyses, stakeholder engagement, timeline development, resource allocation, and risk assessment for technology application or workforce improvements.
• Cybersecurity Solutions Across Domains Comprehensive cybersecurity offerings including third-party risk assessments, gap assessments, and remediation for manufacturing, healthcare, and financial institutions; covering data privacy, compliance, CMMC Level 1, disaster recovery, incident response, governance, identity management, risk management, and security architecture.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 1,000 companies helped build cyber readiness and achieve government contracting eligibility
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers12 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered flagship and core.

• NIST (National Institute of Standards and Technology)flagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 2 March 2026CyberReady 2.0 supported through a NIST NICE RAMPS award. This is the only RAMPS-funded initiative awarded in Indiana during the current funding cycle, designed to strengthen cybersecurity readiness across Northwest Indiana's critical manufacturing and industrial supply chains.
• Center for Workforce Innovations (CWI)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 2 March 2026Key stakeholder in CyberReady 2.0 coalition. CWI anchors workforce strategy across the region, supporting the initiative to strengthen cybersecurity governance and risk awareness in Northwest Indiana's manufacturing sector.
• Purdue University Northwest - Center for Visualization and Simulation (CIVS)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 2 March 2026Academic partner providing applied research capabilities. Part of the CyberReady 2.0 coalition supporting Northwest Indiana's industrial resilience. Jan Fourman serves as Research Scientist at Purdue University.
• NWI ForumcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 2 March 2026Regional economic development partner anchoring economic leadership in the CyberReady 2.0 coalition for Northwest Indiana manufacturing and industrial supply chains.
• NIPSCOcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 2 March 2026Energy infrastructure partner in the CyberReady 2.0 initiative, contributing to the regional response to cybersecurity risks impacting manufacturers and critical supply chains in Northwest Indiana.
• XpertekscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 4 June 2025Strategic alliance between IWS and Xperteks to deliver comprehensive cybersecurity solutions for SMEs. Combines IWS's compliance expertise with Xperteks's managed IT services, cloud security, and digital infrastructure. Provides scalable solutions for CMMC Level 1, NIST 800-171, and ISO 27001 compliance.
• TruistflagshipGTM or Marketing Partner · 17 October 2022Corporate sponsor and partner supporting CyberReadyMBE. Endorses the program for giving MBEs competitive edge when seeking business and ensuring data protection.
• NMSDC (National Minority Supplier Development Council)flagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 12 July 2021Strategic partnership to extend CyberReadyMBE program to NMSDC's 15,000+ certified MBEs across 23 regions. The partnership enables MBEs to achieve cybersecurity compliance and access government and corporate contracting opportunities. NMSDC provides access to 2,000+ corporate members who recognize the CyberReadyMBE designation.
• GE (including GE Aviation and GE Foundation)flagshipGTM or Marketing Partner · 12 July 2021Corporate sponsor of CyberReadyMBE program. GE Foundation provided funding to enable greater economic inclusion for MBEs through cybersecurity capability investment. GE Aviation walks small businesses through the supplier network onboarding process.
• Bank of AmericaflagshipGTM or Marketing Partner · 12 July 2021Corporate sponsor supporting the CyberReadyMBE program. Committed to working with diverse businesses for over 30 years. Provides resources to help MBEs compete for corporate and government business.
• Naval Surface Warfare Center, Crane Division (NAVSEA)flagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 12 July 2021Government partner providing guidance on tools MBEs need to effectively compete for Navy contracts. NSWC Crane is in constant need of qualified, cyber-compliant companies to support critical Navy needs. Provides counsel on cybersecurity requirements for defense contracting.
• Chicago Minority Supplier Development CouncilcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 12 July 2021First affiliate rollout of CyberReadyMBE program through Chicago MSDC. Pilot program in summer 2021 led to national expansion through NMSDC.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves12 records

Expansion highlights12 records

Emerging players

• Vanta: Vanta is a leading automated compliance platform supporting SOC 2, ISO 27001, HIPAA, and increasingly CMMC. It overlaps with IWS's compliance readiness work for SMBs but does so via software-led automation rather than instructor-led training and consulting.
• Cybrary: Cybrary is an online cybersecurity training and workforce development platform serving individuals and enterprise teams. It competes with IWS in cybersecurity upskilling content but is platform-driven and serves a broader audience beyond the DIB and MBE segments.

Broad incumbents

• SANS Institute: SANS Institute is the largest cybersecurity training and certification organization globally, offering instructor-led courses, GIAC certifications, and workforce development programs. It competes with IWS in the cybersecurity upskilling market but operates at vastly greater scale across all skill levels and industries.
• Booz Allen Hamilton: Booz Allen Hamilton is a major management and technology consulting firm with a substantial federal cybersecurity practice serving DoD and civilian agencies. It overlaps with IWS in CMMC and supply chain cybersecurity work but at enterprise scale and as part of a much broader portfolio.

Direct peers

• Kieri Solutions: Kieri Solutions is a CMMC and NIST compliance consultancy focused on defense contractors and small manufacturers in the DIB supply chain. It is directly comparable to IWS in delivering compliance readiness, assessment, and remediation services to SMB suppliers facing federal cybersecurity mandates.
• Linford & Company: Linford & Company is a cybersecurity and CMMC-focused CPA and compliance firm providing assessments, readiness consulting, and attestation services to defense contractors and SMBs. Its SMB and DIB focus makes it a close functional peer to IWS.
• Summit 7 Systems: Summit 7 Systems is a leading CMMC and NIST 800-171 compliance consulting and managed services firm serving the Defense Industrial Base. It directly competes with IWS in providing readiness assessments, policy creation, and ongoing compliance support to defense contractors and supply chain suppliers.
• Schellman & Co: Schellman & Co (now part of A-LIGN) is a top-tier IT compliance and cybersecurity assessment firm offering CMMC, FedRAMP, ISO, and SOC services. It directly competes with IWS in delivering structured compliance readiness and certification advisory to defense and supply chain clients.
• Beryllium InfoSec: Beryllium InfoSec is a CMMC, NIST, and ISO cybersecurity consulting firm providing readiness assessments and remediation services to defense contractors and SMB suppliers. Its service scope closely mirrors IWS's compliance training and consulting practice.

Others

• CyberAB: CyberAB is the official CMMC Accreditation Body that authorizes CMMC Third-Party Assessment Organizations (C3PAOs). It is not a competitor but is the governing ecosystem entity whose standards and assessor network shape IWS's training, consulting, and program design.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/DoreenGGaboyan
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@DoreenGonzalezGaboyan
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/industry-workforce-solutions-inc

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Industry Workforce Solutions, Inc.