U.S. Space Force Taps Workera to Build the Nation's AI-Ready Space Workforce

Partnership will deliver mission-critical skills data for more than 14,000 Guardians, accelerating mastery of AI, cybersecurity, and other priority capabilities.

PALO ALTO, Calif., Feb. 4, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Workera, the leading AI-powered skills intelligence platform, announces it has been selected by SpaceWERX for a Tactical Funding Increase (TACFI) focused on precise, future-ready skill verification and development to address the most pressing challenges in the Department of the Air Force (DAF).

Workera's strategic partnership with the United States Space Force will assess and upskill the more than 14,000 military and civilian Guardians protecting U.S. and allied interests in space. Workera's AI-powered agent platform will help the Space Force workforce build priority capabilities in areas such as AI and cybersecurity.

Workera is collaborating with the Space Force's Enterprise Talent Management Office, which ensures Guardians are placed in roles that match their strengths, interests, and performance. The initiative supports the branch's Capabilities and Skills Framework by verifying mission-critical skills, mapping technical requirements, and generating domains tailored to the unique needs of Space Force operations.

The Air Force Research Laboratory and SpaceWERX, the innovation arm of the U.S. Space Force and a unique division within AFWERX, have partnered to streamline the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) process by accelerating the small business experience through faster proposal to award timelines, changing the pool of potential applicants by expanding opportunities to small business and eliminating bureaucratic overhead by continually implementing process improvement changes in contract execution. The DAF began offering the Open Topic SBIR/STTR program in 2018 which expanded the range of innovations the DAF funded and now on Aug. 29, 2025, Workera will start its journey to create and provide innovative capabilities that will strengthen the national defense of the United States of America.

"Our partnership with the U.S. Space Force underscores the impact of skills intelligence in developing AI-ready workforces at scale," said Kian Katanforoosh, CEO of Workera. "By equipping each member of the branch with the precise skills they need for their roles, we're helping build essential technical capabilities among all Guardians and developing strong candidates for senior leadership positions."

As the newest branch of the armed forces, the Space Force is charged with assembling and training a workforce equipped to provide space capabilities to the joint force. Workera's platform can measure any skill with precision, enabling the Space Force to define and validate the specialized competencies essential to its mission. This allows the service to build custom domains and targeted learning pathways aligned to its unique operational needs.

Workera's platform gives leaders real-time visibility into the skills of their workforce, helping Guardians build the technical readiness required for today's rapidly evolving missions. By validating proficiency through adaptive AI-powered assessments, including complex skills like AI, cybersecurity, and systems engineering, Workera provides the verified data leaders need to advance upskilling, align talent to mission, and accelerate readiness. In addition to strengthening long-term capability development, Workera is helping Guardians meet the Department of Defense 8140 Mandate, which requires personnel in specific cybersecurity roles to demonstrate verified mastery across key focus areas.

"The Space Force is setting a new standard in military talent management," said Jennifer Tucker, PhD, the Assessments and Job Analysis Branch Chief with the Enterprise Talent Management Office at the U.S. Space Force. "Workera's skills intelligence will give our leaders the data-driven insights necessary to identify and close critical skill gaps as we accelerate our workforce's capabilities and shape our nation's future in space."

The strategic partnership builds on Workera's existing partnerships with the nation's military, including the U.S. Air Force, the U.S. Defense Finance and Accounting Service, and the U.S. Marine Corps. Skills intelligence is proving crucial in helping active duty and civilian employees develop broad technical expertise, as well as demonstrating the return on investment for the armed forces' skill-based hiring and workforce development.

To learn more about how Workera can help with enterprise-scale workforce transformation initiatives, please visit www.workera.ai.

The views expressed are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the Department of the Air Force, the Department of War, or the U.S. government.

About Workera

Workera is pioneering the future of skills technology, reimagining how organizations align business needs with verified skills data to future-fit their workforce and accelerate productivity and innovation. Trusted by the Fortune 500 and recognized by World Economic Forum's Tech Pioneers, TIME's Best EdTech Companies 2025, Inc 5000, and Josh Bersin's HR Tech AI Trailblazers, Workera leverages proprietary AI agents to deliver unparalleled insights into workforce capabilities, utilizing a state-of-the-art skills ontology and large language models for the most precise skill measurements available. Workera was named in Fast Company's Most Innovative Companies list for 2024 alongside Microsoft, Canva, and others leading the AI revolution. Learn more at www.workera.ai.

About SpaceWERX

As the innovation arm of the U.S. Space Force and a unique division within AFWERX, SpaceWERX inspires and empowers collaboration with innovators to accelerate capabilities and shape our future in space. Headquartered in Los Angeles, SpaceWERX employs military, civilian and contractor personnel executing an annual $457 million budget. Additionally, SpaceWERX partners with Space Systems Command's Commercial Space Office (COMSO) as a collaborative program. Since it was aligned under AFRL in Aug. 2021, SpaceWERX has awarded over 1,470 contracts worth more than $1.46 billion to strengthen the U.S. defense industrial base and drive faster technology transition to operational capability. For more information, visit: spacewerx.us.

About AFWERX

As the innovation arm of the DAF and a directorate within the Air Force Research Laboratory, AFWERX brings cutting-edge American ingenuity from small businesses and start-ups to address the most pressing challenges of the DAF. Headquartered at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, AFWERX employs military, civilian and contractor personnel executing an annual $1.4 billion annual budget. Since 2019, AFWERX has awarded over 10,400 contracts worth more than $7.24 billion to strengthen the U.S. defense industrial base and drive faster technology transition to operational capability. For more information, visit: afwerx.com.

About AFRL

The Air Force Research Laboratory, or AFRL, is the primary scientific research and development center for the Department of the Air Force. AFRL plays an integral role in leading the discovery, development and integration of affordable warfighting technologies for our air, space and cyberspace forces. With a workforce spanning across nine technology areas and 40 other operations around the globe, AFRL provides a diverse portfolio of science and technology ranging from fundamental to advanced research and technology development. For more information, visit afresearchlab.com.

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