UCCS.EDU/BUSINESS/C-CAP
The University of Colorado Springs Colorado Cybersecurity Apprenticeship Program (UCCS C-CAP), a grant-funded by the U.S. Department of Labor, offers aspiring cybersecurity professionals a unique opportunity to receive training that prepares them for mid-level and advance-level industry positions. The program will be administered through the UCCS College of Business. The academic and skills-based C-CAP coursework includes a series of industry-aligned college courses, boot camps, and hands-on experience. The online program requires the completion of 12 credit hours, a project course, and boot camps focused on industry-recognized certifications. C-CAP graduates are awarded a certificate of completion in their chosen cybersecurity program and a UCCS undergraduate certificate in cybersecurity management. Throughout the duration of the program, apprentices receive mentorship and on-the-job learning. Successful participants can be prepared for a transition to full-time employment in cybersecurity. Cybersecurity organizations will benefit from a steady pipeline of highly-skilled workforce talent, allowing employers to sufficiently recruit, train, and retain the top cybersecurity professionals.
BUSINESS.UCCS.EDU
Dr. Gurvirender Tejay is an associate professor of information systems at UCCS and director of C-CAP. He offers additional insights about C-CAP.
What inspired the development of the program?
There has been a significant short-age of cybersecurity workforce hampering cybersecurity operations at the corporate and national levels. So we started looking at different ways to address the shortage of trained workforce. Apprenticeships seem to be the tested model to develop students under mentorship in short duration. We designed the Cybersecurity Apprenticeship Program to train students in a limited time frame with an emphasis on skills development. This will help our students be better positioned to be placed with employers.
What kinds of specific cybersecurity roles does C-CAP prepare interns for?
C-CAP targets mid-level and advanced cybersecurity roles: cybersecurity analyst, cybersecurity consultant, penetration and vulnerability tester, IT auditor, and cybersecurity manager.
“There has been a significant shortage of cybersecurity workforce hampering cybersecurity operations at the corporate and national levels.”
Can you tell us more about the First2Go opportunity for first-generation students?
UCCS has a very supportive community and offers the First2Go Program, which is a planned series of events to help first-generation students navigate and succeed in academics. First2Go works with all first-generation students to help with any academic skill-building needs, but also as a support home where they and their families can be heard and receive connections for support across the entirety of the UCCS campus and community.
What else would you like potential applicants to know about this opportunity?
C-CAP is designed for students to develop cybersecurity skills sought by industry. The courses involve cyber-simulation labs, hands-on projects, case studies, industry standards/models, and certification training. The courses are taught by lecturers who have both academic and significant practitioner experience. Students also are encouraged to interact with guest speakers who are seasoned cybersecurity professionals.
To be eligible for the C-CAP curriculum designed to help meet that need, participants must:
MICROSOFT.COM
Every year, Microsoft welcomes college students to apply for summer internships where they will work on real-world software engineering projects using cutting-edge technology. The three-month opportunity is for students pursuing degrees in computer science as well as those who have demonstrated an aptitude for computer science outside an academic setting. Each internship is designed to give students the opportunity to learn and grow through doing great work and engaging with peers, mentors, and company leaders — all in a culture of diverse community connections.
Microsoft encourages applications from members of AISES and other organizations it sponsors, including CodePath, the National Society of Black Engineers, the Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers, AfroTech, and the Society of Women Engineers. To be eligible for consideration, students should be pursuing a bachelor’s or master’s degree in engineering, computer science, or a related field and have:
All interns receive a competitive salary and benefits. They work with teammates to solve problems and help deliver quality products while learning to adopt the new technologies, tools, and processes relevant to each challenge. This includes being part of efforts to design, develop, and test next-generation software that will help people and organizations everywhere achieve more.
Microsoft is holding a series of virtual events where you can learn more about what to expect when pursuing opportunities at the company. The company invites interested students to visit careers.microsoft.com/students/us/en/university-events to find university virtual events, which will be updated throughout the fall.
“I believe that the more you apply for support for future study, the more experienced and successful you become with the process. Apply to as many funding sources as you possibly can.”
Jenn Travis is a university recruiter for Microsoft and an enthusiastic advocate for students interested in software engineering internships.
How much software engineering experience is required for these internships?
While we do see a number of students in computer science, the most important qualification is a passion for software engineering. We welcome applicants with the fundamental skills to work in a software development setting, even if they haven’t followed an academic path that’s strictly focused on software or engineering.
Is this currently a virtual internship?
Yes. To keep people safe and healthy with our COVID-19 protocols, interns are currently working in a virtual environment. We have very productive online workspaces that people can access wherever they are in the world. When we’re able to again offer in-person opportunities, most will take place at the Microsoft campus in Redmond, Wash.
What is the culture at Microsoft like for students from Indigenous communities?
We have an active Indigenous at Microsoft employee resource group that welcomes members from throughout the company. It strives to honor, share, and celebrate Indigenous cultures within and beyond Microsoft while we all shape technology to empower future generations. We believe strongly in an inclusive workplace where people feel comfortable being who they are, so they are free to focus on their work in an environment where people come together to innovate and get things done.
What guidance would you offer a student who’s not sure if they would qualify for the program?
From our perspective, it’s really important for students to count themselves “in,” not out. We have a company that’s full of people who decided to take a chance and bet on themselves. For instance, maybe you haven’t taken classes in coding, but you’ve done hackathons or a codefest — tell us about it! If you can talk about why you’re interested in an internship at Microsoft, we would love to see you apply.
intelligencecareers.gov/nga/ngastudentprograms.html
True to its name, the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA) is in charge of delivering geospatial intelligence to U.S. policymakers, military service members, intelligence professionals, and first responders. The organization is a unique combination of an intelligence agency and combat support agency. As the NGA website says, “Anyone who sails a U.S. ship, flies a U.S. aircraft, makes national policy decisions, fights wars, locates targets, responds to natural disasters, or even navigates with a cellphone relies on NGA.”
Every summer, NGA offers paid internships that provide each participant with real-world, hands-on experience. Student assignments involve independent and team-oriented work under the guidance of a senior-level supervisor and mentors. The internships take place at an NGA campus in St. Louis, Mo., or Washington, D.C. Students who succeed in the program may have the opportunity to return for a subsequent internship. Those who perform well and continue to meet all program requirements may also be offered full-time employment after graduating from their degree program.
NGA stays in touch with former interns, who shared these insights.
Tell us more about NGA and your experience as an intern.
NGA is a combat support agency and an intelligence agency. We aren’t the people who are out in the field and on the front lines, but we support those who are out there, like the first responders and the warfighters. So I applied for this internship and I got in, and it was amazing because I was actually able to apply what I was learning in my job. And then I was able to learn a lot of good skills I could take back to school with me. So that was a really neat aspect.
–STEAVI SWINSON
What can you tell us about the networking opportunities at NGA?
There are plenty of opportunities for interns to connect with other interns within NGA and the IC at large. There are several planned social events such as picnics or happy hours you can choose to participate in. NGA also sets up a Google chat so interns can virtually meet one another before their internship starts. This has been especially helpful to interns who are looking to find roommates during their internship.
–JENNIFER BAILEY
“I was able to learn a lot of good skills I could take back to school with me.”
Why did you apply for the NGA internship program?
I wanted to be something bigger than just myself. I wanted to contribute to a greater good, and having that sense of patriotism for my nation I wanted to help protect it in whatever way I could. So the Geospatial-Intelligence Agency was a really good fit for me.
– NICOLETTE FISHER (PICTURED)
What were some of the highlights of your NGA internship?
I really enjoyed my internship at NGA. I was able to work on projects that were relevant to my degree field, network with NGA employees and seniors, and learn more about what it means to work at NGA. One aspect that was extremely beneficial to my career was my assigned mentor, who was an intern conversion. Every intern who goes through NGA has the opportunity to meet with a former intern who converted to full-time employee. My mentor helped me understand the conversion process as well as what it was like to be a full-time employee. The internship was an overall amazing, invaluable experience to my career.
– JIHYE RHODES
To be eligible for an NGA internship, students must be a U.S. citizen, at least 18 years old, and enrolled in an accredited college or university to earn an associate’s, undergraduate, graduate, or post-graduate degree. The program is open to students at various stages of their education who are studying in a range of academic fields. Applicants must be able to obtain and retain a top-secret security clearance as well as pass a drug test.