What are cybersecurity internships?

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Cybersecurity internships are short term work experiences in the domain of cybersecurity. They are a key step for those that wish to develop and have a career in the industry. Lets now explore these opportunities to develop your future while protecting our online world.

Why are cybersecurity internships important?

The cool thing about cybersecurity is that it is vast. So these work experiences let interns see first hand the industry and what jobs are about. This can be very helpful in getting context as well as learning if you are a fit or not for this career.

Who can get cybersecurity internships?

Since the cybersecurity covers so many different areas of a business and our lives this creates a lot of opportunity for talent. So people with many different types of backgrounds can be good at it. Below are some common groups who might want this type of internship and potential career.

College students

Many individuals in college use these opportunities as a way to gain work experience before entering the workforce. They generally take these opportunities as they near graduation as they look to enter the workforce.

High school students

High schools are starting to build programs to develop students earlier for careers in cybersecurity. Many students can now look for these internships in their junior and senior years of high school. This is a great way to learn and develop even faster before going to college or entering the workforce.

Non-technical workers

Many people who are already employed look to transition to cybersecurity careers for more pay. Some skills that can transition well include jobs such as an emergency medical technician, customers service specialist or even an athletics coach.

These roles relate to security because they ready workers to work under pressure, communicate effectively with people, and execute well in team environments.

Technical workers

Those that have technical skills and background before moving into cybersecurity also can find cyber security internships helpful to aid the transition. You can either have gone to school to earn a technical degree, work in an information technology job, or both.

What do you do on cybersecurity internships?

Below are some common activities that you might do as an intern. It is important to notice that there are as many non-technical items as technical ones on the list.

Non-technical activities on cybersecurity internships

Even though many people think most cyber security jobs are only technical, this is not true. Below are some common non-technical work that can be performed.

Teamwork
Consulting
Research
Documentation
Creativity
Risk analysis
Data analysis
Process work
Training and awareness
Help desk
Reports and presentations

Technical activities on cybersecurity internships

Below are some more technical activities that you might do on one of these work experiences. Many of these items will be guided by a more senior resource during an internship.

Log or event analysis
System documentation
Vulnerability analysis
Technical research
Threat analysis
Preparation for penetrating testing
Automation development
Security technology comparisons

Advantages to a cybersecurity career?

There are many advantages to these types of work experiences and a career in cyber. Lets explore some of them.

High demand for workers

There is a high demand in organizations for cyber security workers. It is important to note that the most demand is for senior workers, this field still makes a great career path with great pay and opportunity.

Do good and fight crime

Nothing feels better than doing good in this world. In this industry a big part of the job is protecting companies and people from crime. Your role and work in this industry will always help do good in the world.

They are often virtual

Many jobs in cybersecurity are now performed virtually instead of in person. This provides flexibility that you don’t always see in other careers.

Fulfilling and fun!

Cybersecurity internships are unique and always always changing. So while they can be hard, you will always make a positive difference. This makes them fulfilling and fun. There is never a dull moment in cyber security.

Work in any industry

You can work in any industry as every type of company needs help with this type of work. This provides lots of options for which organization you can choose to work for as a cyber professional.

Global opportunity

In addition to any industry, you can also work in any country in the world. So every place on earth that is connected to the Internet needs help. As a result, you have a lot of choices in terms of where in the world to build your career.

Cutting edge

Much of the work in cyber is exciting and new. So you always have to stay one step ahead of the attackers.

Also, while there are non technical jobs, there are technical ones too. There is also a lot with automation and AI too. All of these things are cutting edge and create an awesome career opportunity.

How to get cybersecurity internships?

Below are some simple steps to find an internship in this industry.

1. Self assess if cybersecurity internships are right for you

There is lots you can do in cyber, so the first step is to decide if a cybersecurity internship is right for you. Further, if you are in school, start with a counselor or teacher. You can also talk with us to discuss options. This can help you to choose if you want to move forward with this type of job.

2. Choose a goal

Determine what you would like to get from being an intern. Further, do you just want to experience the industry, gain skills or both? Finally, with this in mind, you are ready to try and find potential internships.

3. Go for it

Sounds easy and it is. So a career in cyber security is possible if you work hard for it and are confident. However, it may take a little time, but keep knocking on doors and one will open.

Next Steps

Interested in learning more about work experiences in cyber security. Talk with us on our getting started page.