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In an initiative funded by the 听(CCI),听George Mason听University听partnered with the 听and local cybersecurity firms to听help听expand the pipeline of cybersecurity professionals.听
One barrier to integrating young people into a professional environment is听their听experience with听workplace communications,听conduct听in a professional environment, and work in teams.听鈥淲e听regularly听hear听from听our corporate partners that soft skills are a vital piece of听workforce听education that听should be essential in听the academic,听professional training programs,听and classes currently available,鈥 says Liza Wilson Durant,听director of the听CCI听NoVa听Node,听professor听and鈥痑ssociate dean for鈥痵trategic initiatives and鈥痗ommunity engagement听at the College of Engineering and Computing.听
The Children鈥檚 Science Center had been running an intern program for high school and college students for the past four years鈥痶hat teaches听many of these skills,听so a partnership between the CCI and听the Center听seemed听ideal. The听Children鈥檚听Science Center听program听was听designed for high school and college students with STEM backgrounds听but with limited or no previous work experience.听Their program听uses both classroom training and hands-on experience as the students learn important workplace skills. The听program began with a听professional development orientation program听lasting听two weeks and was offered as the start of a 5-week high school cybersecurity听internship.听听
鈥淐ombining the intellectual capital available at 海角社区 and the Northern Virginia Science Center Foundation creates a powerhouse opportunity for the Northern Virginia community. Together, we are exploring new ways to prepare all youth for the future STEM opportunities that await them,鈥濃痵ays Mike Tillman, director of experience, Northern Virginia Science Center Foundation.鈥
,听professor at 海角社区鈥檚 听and affiliate faculty in the 听presented two workshops during the orientation.听The听workshops focused on multidisciplinary problem-solving,听among other听things, and听addressed what competencies would make the students successful as interns.听听
听鈥淲e used very simple tools听-听the KWL assessment,听which addresses what do you know, what do you want to know, what do you want to learn,鈥 says听Seshaiyer. One of the key messages听he stressed was that failure is part of the process听and how to turn failure into success.听听
鈥淭he students were all really excited to be in the internship,听they听already had the passion to make a difference. They want to know how to make that impact. Some wanted to go impress people with content knowledge,鈥 says听Seshaiyer.听鈥淚 was there to help them understand what to look for, how to work in teams, they will be part of something bigger, how to fit into a bigger group.鈥澨
After the two-week training, the students moved into听placements听with local companies,听CCI partners,听and other cybersecurity firms.听Twenty听students received an offer of a summer听internship,听attended the two-week professional development orientation,听and received a stipend from CCI of $2,000.听
Shirley Benedict, a recent graduate of Chantilly High School who interned at ManTech International,听found the sessions useful and immediately applicable. 鈥淚've absolutely been able to incorporate a lot of the problem-solving strategies in my internship,鈥 she says. 鈥淧art of my work as an intern involves scripting and running queries against incredibly large datasets that contain trillions of pieces of data. When I run a query and find that I'm not getting the response I expected, it can be hard to pinpoint the exact location of the error due to the sheer magnitude of the data. In situations like this, I've used Fermi Analysis strategies to make educated estimates, as well as the Five Why's鈥痶echnique to retrace the steps my code has taken and find the location of the bug.鈥澨
CCI partners stepped up to take听on听听high听school interns听to听mentor, train,听and support the goal to widen the talent pipeline. 鈥淲idelity听is aligned with the CCI鈥檚 vision, which recognizes that in order to address today鈥檚 workforce gap of cybersecurity talent, an effort must be made to develop the pipeline of STEM talent in our secondary schools.鈥 We are鈥痚xcited to host four students this summer, with a focus on developing their professional skills and enhancing鈥痶heir cyber-related industry knowledge,鈥澨齭ays Paul听Altoz, CEO of听Widelity.听
Tiffany Yan, ManTech鈥檚 college recruiting, student Internship programs,鈥痑nd diversity outreach manager,听found great alignment between her role and the internship program. 鈥淚 was already doing some of this work for the company, and the internship with听the听Children鈥檚听Science Center听and CCI seemed like a great fit,鈥 she says.听鈥淭he company hopes that the internships become a pipeline to top听talent听and to听convert them to full-time staff,鈥 she continues, 鈥渁nd transition them into ManTech employees.鈥澨
Yan found the interns to be smart, creative,听and enthusiastic. 鈥淭he program was so successful we hope to expand it next year,鈥 she says.听Based on this year's success, the CCI听NoVa听Node will host the program听next year, hoping to expand and double its size.听
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About the Children鈥檚 Science Center:听
Northern Virginia Science Center Foundation听and听the Children鈥檚 Science Center听is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that operates the Children's Science Center LAB at Fair Oaks Mall and STEM programs traveling to schools and other community venues across the region. The听foundation is also developing the Northern Virginia Science Center in Dulles, Va., a world-class, interactive regional science center for families, students,听and learners of all ages made possible through a pivotal public-private partnership. Learn more about听the听mission today at听听and听the听vision for the future at听听
About the CCI听NoVa听Node:听
The CCI Northern Virginia Node (NoVa听Node) comprises the region鈥檚 universities, colleges, and private, nonprofit, and government organizations, all sharing a commitment to building capacity in cybersecurity. The听NoVa听Node is grateful to the听following companies who hosted one or more interns:听Chainbridge听Solutions, Mantech听International,听Widelity, Inc.,听Oceus听Networks, Inc.,听NT Concepts, Inc.,听and听SYSUSA,听Inc.听听